《I Became The Stepmother Of An Irrevocable Dark Family》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°Get lost.¡± The child who was endlessly fuming and struggling, let out a curse as soon as she got down from my arms. Rebecca Petri. That was the name of the child who was cursing flawlessly at me. For that reason, it would make one wonder if this is really coming out from a 5-year-old girl¡¯s mouth. This young girl is an outstanding prospective villainess. She would poison the woman who persistently thrives to become the Crown Princess. And I¡¯m the third stepmother of that child, Leona Selen. ¡°I said get lost!¡± ¡°Yes, Rere, but you should eat first. I¡¯ll get lost after you eat, so let¡¯s just eat this, okay?¡± I wanted to clean up the meal because the child said she doesn¡¯t want to eat. But this child is a powerful young noble, and I had to pacify such a difficult child because I¡¯m her stepmother. Thanks to her, it feels like I¡¯m at war every day. Who said that a child¡¯s very existence itself is wonderful? To some extent, I could agree, but Rere is an exception. While I swallowed my pent-up anger inside, Rere couldn¡¯t withstand her temper and began to throw things. ¡®That¡¯s a relief, there¡¯s nothing dangerous here.¡¯ I was relieved for a moment because I thought I wouldn¡¯t be in a dangerous situation enough to get hurt, but¡­ One of them hit me right in the face. Tak-! ¡°Ah.¡± I spouted a single groan at the unexpected pain. A wooden block bounced under my feet and then rolled around. I cleared out all the dangerous stuff away, but it was still there somehow. I can¡¯t even feel the pain due to my perplexity. At first, I thought I was okay. But the next moment, something trickled down as my forehead got hot. ¡®It¡¯s not blood, is it?¡¯ When I wiped my forehead with my hands, warm blood was smeared all over my hand. ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s red blood. For a moment, I was wondering if this was a dream. At that time, the startled Rere ran to me belatedly. ¡°Blo-Blood¡­! Th-That¡¯s why I told you to get lost!¡± She¡¯s not even apologizing. Damn it. Stepmother or whatever, should I just give up on it and smack her harshly before running away? I wiped my forehead with my hands without even thinking about taking out my handkerchief because I was dazed. There is so much blood leaking out that even if I wiped it off, the blood kept getting on my hands. It was so dreadful. Then, Rere came close to me. ¡°Won¡¯t you¡­get angry?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Why are you not angry!¡± It¡¯s me who should be angry, but why are you getting annoyed? Don¡¯t worry about it, Rere. I was about to get angry. What should I do with you? Would it make you feel better if I took you somewhere and smacked your buttocks? ¡°¡­Why are you not angry. Why!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I want to hit you. I have been thinking about this more than a hundred times. I think the people in this family have spoiled you too much. If I hit your butt 100 times, will you wake up? As I was immersed in my thoughts, along with the sound of the door opening, there was an unfamiliar voice. ¡°¡­It¡¯s the first time. You are the first person who did not get angry at the child¡¯s behavior.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± At the stern voice of the man, I raised my head hurriedly. He was Rere¡¯s father, the owner of the irrevocable black market, and the Duke, Ian Petri. ¡°No matter what she does, are you trying to raise her with love?¡± My body flinched at the stern man¡¯s words. ¡°Your Grace, that¡¯s not what I mean¡­¡± The moment I was stiffened by his taciturn gaze, Rebecca approached me. ¡°Hey, you¡­¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Just you wait, Rere. I¡¯ll give you a little bit of spanking later. But Rere pulled the hem of my clothing towards her. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t mean it. Sorry¡­¡± Huh? This is not right. Unlike my expectation that she would utter profanity and scream, Rere rushed to me with tears flowing down from her beady pair of eyes. What¡¯s wrong with you? ¡°You¡¯re acting a little bit different¡­¡± The Duke is strange, too. Hey, that¡¯s not it! Things are starting to turn strangely. Can you not be sorry¡­? The beginning of the whole story started 15 days ago. *** *Gallop* *Gallop* I woke up from my sleep at the sound of the horse¡¯s movement. ¡°Wh-Where is this?!¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about?¡± I hurriedly raised my head to the voice of an unfamiliar man. The man who narrowed his eyes was unbearably handsome, enough to left me speechless at the moment. His appearance was so remarkable that it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that he was carved by God. As if a halo was shining behind him. His hair parallels the clearest night sky and his eyes look like the finest ruby. Even his expressionless face was perfect. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be nervous. Anyway, can you sign your transfer document?¡± After hearing the unfamiliar voice once more, my head was cleared up. ¡®I¡­am already dead.¡¯ It was because of a car accident. Living in the modern age, I pursued a little child as if I was possessed by something and got run over by a car. And when I opened my eyes, I was already here. Even worse, this place is not of the modern age. Suddenly, I found myself riding the carriage and became a woman named Leona Selen who lived in this era. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± The pair of red pupils were focused on me. ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°¡­Leona Selen. From now on, you have one task to do. Keep yourself in line.¡± All my positive opinions about him evaporated instantly. I¡¯m only possessing this body, you know? ¡®You¡¯re Leona¡¯, as soon as I unfolded my eyes, I remembered Leona¡¯s memories. I can remember all the memories throughout her entire life, not even missing the smallest details. I remembered perfectly the part where Leona¡¯s father sold her as a courtesan at the highest price as well. Not caring even if he had to sell her to the Duke. The materialistic family sold Leona, and Leona also agreed. That is because living in that house was a misfortune for her anyway. Rather, Leona¡¯s life might get better now that she was sold to entertain the Duke at night. But Leona, I¡¯m not going to the Duchy to do that kind of work. I¡¯m walking straight into hell. I¡¯m inside a book, and the family of Duke Ian Petri, who bought me, is an irrevocable dark family, where a monster resides within. *** There was no further explanation. As soon as the carriage stopped, the Duke took me inside. Then, he took me into a room that seemed to be the living room and called his daughter. Soon after, a child came into the living room and did not deviate an inch from my expectation. Black hair and red eyes. Her cheek puffed grumpily as if she found everything annoying. ¡®Rebecca Petri. She¡¯s the villainess of this novel.¡¯ As soon as I was thinking about it, the child¡¯s mouth opened. ¡°What is ¡®that¡¯?¡± The child, who was clinging at the Duke¡¯s waist, scowled at me. ¡°Won¡¯t you greet her?¡± As I was gazing at the child, the Duke¡¯s uncomfortable voice rang in my ears again. Right, I must greet her. I battled with my shivering body and waved my hand at the child. ¡°¡­Hi.¡± ¡°Did you say, ¡®hi¡¯? Get lost.¡± The first thing I heard from the monster not long after we met was ¡®Get lost¡¯. I suddenly imagined that it might be better to entertain the Duke at night, just as what the original Leona was thinking. I know this novel well. Not to mention, the ending of the two people in front of me. Whether he assumed that the greeting was over, the Duke caressed the child¡¯s head once and looked at me. ¡°What you¡¯re going to do now is to become this child¡¯s stepmother.¡± At the Duke¡¯s words, I opened my mouth carefully. ¡°By any chance¡­you know¡­I want to ask¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°As her stepmother, what number am I?¡± Perhaps it was an unexpected question, but even if so, the Duke only slightly opened his eyes without altering his expression. But for me, it was quite an important question. Rebecca¡¯s third stepmother was crippled because of her. ¡®Please don¡¯t let me be the third one.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s unusual. Are you curious about that? You must have noticed that you aren¡¯t the first one.¡± ¡°Yes. So¡­ what number am I?¡± His forehead became crumpled at my query. ¡°You are the third.¡± For a moment, my eyes became clouded. Is this what it feels like when the sky collapses? I¡¯m the third one. God was too cruel to Leona and I. Then Rebecca, who was sticking on the duke like a cicada, sulked. ¡°What? Did you call me for this?¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d have to say hello.¡± ¡°It¡¯s annoying! It¡¯s not fun at all. I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Sure, you said hello today, so you can go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going because dad allowed me to go! I¡¯m going because I want to!¡± Rebecca, who was abruptly throwing a tantrum and screamed her lungs out, glared at me. ¡°Alright.¡± Rebecca went outside with a loud bang, clearly expressing her resentment towards me. I don¡¯t really like you either. I hate you enough to the point I want to run away. ¡®As expected from the irrevocable dark family¡¯s villainess. Yes, I certainly want to run away.¡¯ The atmosphere in the room was cold as if it was filled with cold water. I just need to evade the Duke¡¯s gaze. But then, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Wh-Where?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with your response? Did you think I would take you to a strange place?¡± Yes. Exactly. I only knew the future of this family, but I didn¡¯t know what was going on inside this mansion. Rebecca was particularly described in detail because she was in the same generation as the main characters, but there is not much description of the other generations. There was no description of the Duke, so I was worried about that. ¡®Are you going to kill me just because the child despises me?¡¯ I became even more afraid because I didn¡¯t hear anything about the first and second stepmother. Even the rumors about the Duke in Leona¡¯s memories were gruesome. -The Dukedom was experimenting with people -There are many cases where the maids and servants abruptly went missing. ¡®You don¡¯t know how precious my life is¡­..¡¯ In the modern age, I died absurdly, but I don¡¯t want to die hopelessly here. So, I hesitated to move and distanced myself as much as I could from him. ¡°I have no intention of taking you to a strange place, or hitting you, so follow me.¡± ¡°Ah. You¡¯re saying that again.¡± ¡°Did you still think that I might do something like that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 I nodded my head heedlessly. This is why you need to be nice while living. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not that kind of person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± He was somewhat feeling discontented with my answer and creased his forehead, but I followed him as if I didn¡¯t know. *Step* *Step* The sound of footsteps was heard ringing in the long hallway. When only the sound of footsteps and their breaths reverberated in the space for a long time, it was the Duke who began to open his mouth again. ¡°But¡­..did you really think that I was going to do that?¡± A slightly uneasy voice came out from the Duke who was ahead of me. As if he never thought of himself that way before. ¡®It¡¯s worse than you think.¡¯ I clenched my teeth at the handsome back of his head. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡± When I was swearing inwardly at him, I momentarily closed my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s¡­.It¡¯s because of the rumors.¡± There¡¯s no way I could tell him that his reputation is worse than dog shit. My life is precious! ¡°Rumors, huh? Don¡¯t believe that. Rumors are created by foolish people who want to drag others down just to protect themselves.¡± His sharp eyes looked very uncomfortable. As if he was having a seizure just by hearing the story about his rumor. The Duke, who looked so displeased, took the lead. Like a dog who follows its master well, I faithfully followed him from behind. I was amazed that every servant I encountered throughout the way didn¡¯t even care about me. ¡®Well, two stepmothers had come before, so they must be familiar with it.¡¯ It seems that we¡¯ve arrived at the destination, so the Duke in front of me stopped his stride. His hand stretched out to unlock the old wooden-door. ¡°You can stay here.¡± My gaze naturally turned to where he pointed. Anyone can tell it¡¯s an old room. The wooden room that didn¡¯t look fancy at all, looked weak as if it would be opened just by shoving my shoulder onto it. ¡°Is this not to your liking?¡± Contrary to my expectation, the room was surprisingly neat. The warm sunlight shone through the wide window, and all the furnishings looked new. This room was too good for this body¡¯s owner, Leona, who had suffered a lot in her own house. Even though she¡¯s the daughter of that family, Leona practically dwells in the attic all her life. ¡°I thought the Duchess¡¯s bedroom would be too excessive for you.¡± ¡°I think so, too. This room is nice.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As if he was bewildered by the unexpected answer, the Duke caressed his chin awkwardly. Only then did I realize that he was testing me. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a fool. You know your position very well.¡± ¡®Bastard, bastard, bastard.¡¯ I tried to let out a genuine smile as much as possible and swallowed my resentment. It¡¯s clear that the ¡®irrevocably dark¡¯ wasn¡¯t only about Rebecca, but also the Duke himself. ¡°Then have a good rest. You have to take care of the child tomorrow.¡± That was his last greeting. Having said all he had to say, he left without even closing the door. I closed the door only after I made sure that he has left. ¡°Haa¡­I hate him more than Rebecca.¡± No. I want to run away. I wouldn¡¯t be concerned if I was the second or fourth stepmother, but the third time is an automatic death penalty. When the contents of the novel flashed into my mind, my future was getting murkier. Rebecca Petri, the supporting character and the villainess. Her mother died in childbirth. There were even rumors about Rebecca¡¯s birth because her mother¡¯s identity remained hidden. In the meantime, Rebecca was sick. So her father did everything she wanted, and she grew up to be a wicked woman. ¡°Just like now.¡± No matter who my opponent was, my downfall was inevitable. Rebecca¡¯s wickedness went too far to the point it exceeded what a human could do. She poured hot water at the young noble ladies that she hates, and she even impaled her escort¡¯s arm with a sword just because he didn¡¯t properly discard the rocks that were hindering her path. That¡¯s not all. She treated her fiance, the Crown Prince, similarly. ¡°How could you raise a child to grow up awfully like Rebecca?¡± Eventually, when her fiance, the Crown Prince, took another woman to be the Crown Princess, she fed her with poison. Of course, she¡¯ll get executed for it. I sat in front of the mirror after organizing my thoughts about Rebecca for a while. ¡°I have a greater problem than Rebecca.¡± I looked over the mirror, which had been polished smoothly without any cracks. The silver locks and blue eyes that glisten under the light. It¡¯s obviously Leona who was reflected in the mirror. In fact, ¡®Leona¡¯ was never mentioned in the novel. But Rebecca¡¯s third stepmother has been mentioned. According to the book, the third stepmother who was formally listed on paper was slightly different from before. Perhaps that¡¯s why the third stepmother, who was different from the previous stepmother, ended up crippled because of Rebecca. ¡°Haa¡­.How pitiful you are.¡± I looked at Leona¡¯s miserable face over the mirror. Her slightly dry skin was as white as porcelain as if she was nurtured in a loving family, but that¡¯s not the case at all. ¡°This is why they sold me. Am I going to be crippled?¡± I wouldn¡¯t even have to worry about this if only I became Leona a little faster. I¡¯m living a shitty life. Leona¡¯s life is much worse. Eventually, I decided to remove my worries and leaped into the bed. Contrary to what it looks like, the bed was soft and didn¡¯t make any creaking noise so I burrowed myself comfortably into the warm, soft sheets. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s work begins tomorrow!¡± Talking about this and that alone doesn¡¯t change anything right away. The fact that I became Rebecca¡¯s stepmother remains unchanged. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Perhaps because I spent the entire day being nervous about going to the duchy, as soon as I lied down and closed my eyes, the feeling of fatigue went all over my body. Even when I was on the verge of a life and death situation, my instinct could not defeat my exhaustion. Shortly after, I fell asleep. *** Ever since I heard the word, ¡°Get lost.¡± I haven¡¯t seen Rebecca for days. The biggest reason is that I can¡¯t meet Rebecca. The vast duchy mansion consists of three buildings. Three buildings were attached with a cave-like hallway. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t find Rebecca¡¯s room when I first came here. Let alone finding her room, there¡¯s no way I could go around looking for Rebecca by opening more than a hundred doors. I asked the passing servants about Rebecca¡¯s room, but I was ignored. They would either speak vaguely or run away saying they don¡¯t know. By the time I was ignored for the seventeenth time, I could understand it perfectly. ¡°Ah. I guess I¡¯m being cast out.¡± Realizing the truth in a few days, I returned to my room at ease. ¡°I¡¯ve done my best.¡± That¡¯s how I reassured myself. Still, I don¡¯t have to worry about being starved to death because the meal was placed in front of my room, although it was delivered irregularly. ¡®It was a hard bread though.¡¯ Two hard loaves of bread were always delivered without soup or a drink. Just like a criminal, I spend my days leisurely while picking up and eating the bread. I wish they would just forget about me like this. Unfortunately, a week later, the duke came to visit me personally. Without knocking properly, he opened the door and looked very angry. ¡°I brought you in to take care of my child, but you didn¡¯t look for her even for a day? You¡¯re a lot different from the women before.¡± As I was enjoying the view outside the window, I turned my head and greeted him with a big smile. ¡°Ah! That¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Great? What¡¯s so great?¡± ¡°Because someone finally here to guide me? No matter how many times I asked, nobody would tell me the room. Where is the room, and should I go now?¡± Rather, it was he who made an absurd expression. ¡°¡­Are you making excuses that you couldn¡¯t go because you don¡¯t know where her room is?¡± ¡°Excuse? It¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°Ha. Do you think I¡¯ll believe that?¡± The Duke¡¯s face was contorted for a moment. It was me who should be annoyed. Why would I want to stay here for a week? I asked all the passing servants about Rebecca¡¯s room, and I even opened up all the fancy doors because I couldn¡¯t stay still. Of course, I was stopped every time. ¡°Whether you believe it or not, it¡¯s your choice. But I¡¯m sure you knew that.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t know? Did you not know¡­that the servants ran away when I tried to ask them?¡± I looked at him while narrowing my eyes. There¡¯s no way that he could stop me from running away without knowing it. Those servants, who pretended to not know when I asked them about Rebecca¡¯s room, always appeared at a wonderful time and stopped me whenever I attempted to get out of the duchy. ¡®It might be Rebecca¡¯s work that prevented me from coming into her room, but the Duke also neglected me.¡¯ Watching his subtle change of expression, I took out the paper from my arms. ¡°I asked a total of 38 people, and their answer was written precisely there.¡± When someone tries to bully me, all I have to do is collect evidence. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s to prove that the Duke, who thinks I did nothing at all, is wrong.¡± I laughed proudly at him, who was perplexed. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re already here to show me around, so let¡¯s go. Now that the Duke is here, I can finally see the precious princess¡¯ face. You don¡¯t know how much I missed her.¡± I took the lead by acting exaggeratedly. The Duke¡¯s gaze was sharply pointed at the paper that I held out to him for a long time. Then, as if he had made a decision, he took and folded the paper, then put it in his chest while turning around. ¡°This way.¡± I, who proudly followed him from behind, even lost my direction with confidence. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Even when he was going to the left, I turned the opposite way. ¡°¡­That way.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m beginning to believe that you didn¡¯t know the way.¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 It strangely hurts my pride, but I followed him with a forced smile on my face. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yeah. Speaking of the way, basically, the room for important members of the dukedom is located in the middle of the castle.¡± It would be great if you told me beforehand. ¡°I was unaware of that.¡± I pursed my lips in a small pout and followed him diligently just like a baby bird following its mother. I carefully studied the hallway in fear of getting lost again. ¡®I think I¡¯ll get confused again.¡¯ The Duke, who was walking in front of me, stopped walking and turned his head to look at me. ¡°Have we arrived yet?¡± ¡°No. I just wanted to say that you don¡¯t have to wag your head left and right like a rabbit.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll assign someone to you starting tomorrow, so you don¡¯t have to wag your head to memorize the way.¡± I was wary of the duke¡¯s sudden change. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If what is written on this piece of paper you gave me is true, it would mean that your desire to take care of my daughter is sincere.¡± I almost shook my head. No, it¡¯s not like that at all. It¡¯s just a list of people who bullied me. I just wanted to run away. But I couldn¡¯t say that out loud, so I put my impulse to rest and smiled pretentiously. ¡°O-Of course!¡± ¡°I see. You look confident, so I¡¯ll be looking forward to it. ¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I replied excitedly like a clown and painfully put on a harmless face. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. If you hadn¡¯t answered that, I wouldn¡¯t have shown mercy.¡± ¡°Mercy, huh? Will things get better if I ran away?¡± ¡°Are you growing your liver in the meantime? You look completely different from that day, you know?¡± (T/N: It¡¯s a Korean saying used to make fun of people who act recklessly without fearing possible consequences. ¡®Liver¡¯ here is a symbol of courage/gut.) Suddenly my conscience was pricked, so I stumbled on my steps. ¡°What do you mean by different? I¡¯m always the same.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s watch and we¡¯ll know.¡± ¡®What are you going to do if I persistently tried to run away?¡¯ That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been itching to ask, but I might get my liver taken out from my stomach for real. In the meantime, a lot of servants stopped around us. It was only then that I knew I had finally arrived in front of Rebecca¡¯s room. Anyone can tell it¡¯s Rebecca¡¯s room. The door was embellished in red and gold color. Now I could see the reason why the servants blocked me every time I went this way. ¡®It¡¯s obviously Rebecca¡¯s room.¡¯ The eyes that were observing me keenly when I was alone, averting their gazes as if they were avoiding me now. ¡°We should enter now.¡± While I was busy watching the servants, who gave me the poles-apart treatment, the duke urged me to enter the room and we went inside. *** The room was extremely large as if to announce that it was the princess¡¯ room. The ceiling was so high that it could never be reached, and dolls were lined up everywhere. The room with a yellow-pink tint that shone like a forsythia flower was adequately childlike. ¡°Daddy¡¯s here.¡± In the middle of the room, the black-haired child, who was playing with the rabbit doll, spat out stinging words without even looking back. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I brought your mom.¡± Only then did Rebecca turn her gaze away. Her vicious gaze disappeared in a second. ¡°Mom? Are you kidding me? What kind of mom is that? She didn¡¯t even look for me.¡± Her gaze was once again directed at the rabbit doll, but Rebecca¡¯s cheeks twitched as if she experienced an electric shock. (T/N: The MC tends to interpret or react to something hilariously. So expect a lot of exaggerated comments like having a seizure or getting electrocuted just by looking at a simple gesture like this one XD) To the point where I can feel that she¡¯s giggling. ¡°It¡¯s not because I didn¡¯t look for you, it¡¯s because I can¡¯t find you. Come to think of it, Rebecca. Why are the servants, who said that they didn¡¯t know your room when I asked them, here?¡± As if to show the height of my innocence, I pointed my finger at the servants one by one thoughtlessly. ¡°This woman, when I asked her three days ago, she freaked out and ran away. Ah, that woman, she shouted ¡®Don¡¯t ask me anything¡¯.¡± As my steps turned towards the maids instead of Rebecca, all the eyes in the room were nailed on me. ¡°These people were written on the paper I gave you earlier. I wanted to ask when I met them again anyway, so this is great.¡± ¡®Why do you all hate me for no reason?¡¯ I tried to overlook it, but ¡®Rebecca¡¯s maid¡¯ in this room particularly displayed hostility towards me. Whenever I try to ask something about Rebecca, I feel like they are having a seizure. As expected, the complexions of the maids in the room turned gray. They were busy avoiding eye contact as if I¡¯m going to stab them in the eyes. ¡°Is it true?¡± ¡°Duke, about that¡­¡± Unlike the perplexed servants, Rebecca hummed casually. Almost as if I was showing off, I was busy playing around like I was not affected at all. As I watched them, I was struck by a sudden realization. ¡®Yeah, these people had done nothing wrong. And if I do this¡­then I¡¯m no different from Rebecca.¡¯ My mind changed quickly. I didn¡¯t want to harass them anymore because I even got an unexpected vacation for a week anyway. So with a bubbly spirit, I strode toward the duke. ¡°Actually, I lied.¡± ¡°What?¡± His expression was distinctly different from before as he turned to me. ¡°That paper is a lie. Actually, I didn¡¯t ask these people.¡± ¡°A lie?¡± ¡°As you might be aware, my life has been very tough. I wanted to play a little. I made it because I would seem suspicious if I just play around.¡± His sharp eyes looked right at me as I deliberately acted more boldly. Contrary to my expectation that he would get furious, his gaze shifted strangely. ¡°So it was a lie. Is it because of your big ¡®liver¡¯? I can¡¯t believe you lied to me.¡± ¡°I was told to ¡®get lost¡¯ on my first day here, so it¡¯s only natural that I don¡¯t want to come, right?¡± As I was confronting him and opened my mouth, the tip of my hand trembled. You¡¯re not going to kill me straight away if I lied, are you? Right now, the duke¡¯s murky red-eyes automatically made me flinched. I swallowed my saliva. What are you going to say? Your silence is making me more frightened. It was then. ¡°It¡¯s amusing.¡± Along with an unexpected answer, a smile spread on the Duke¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re probably the only one who tells these lies to the Duke of Petri.¡± The raging tension inside the room gradually subsided and the jittery faces of the maid loosened. But the atmosphere was quickly stiffened because of someone. ¡°Be quiet. Why are you so noisy in someone else¡¯s room?¡± Rebecca jumped up from her seat and walked past me while holding a black rabbit in her arms. Not only did she walked past me, but she also intentionally elbowed my thigh. Her black hair and red-eyes, just like the duke¡¯s, expressed more hostility than he did. As if trying to show that she was the prospective villainess, her personality is already horrible. ¡®How can I change the setting of the novel?¡¯ Seeing the pair of eyes who were glaring at me while sticking at the Duke¡¯s feet, I was determined to give up on Rebecca. Before I became Leona, I was an orphan living in the modern age. I was abandoned when I was a baby so I couldn¡¯t remember anything, and I grew up in an orphanage. Thanks to that, I grew up watching all kinds of children. Even in my eyes, Rebecca is not normal. ¡°What are you looking at! It¡¯s annoying. Dad, tell ¡®that¡¯ to get out of here!¡± That. That¡­ That? I had already heard it last time, but hearing it again today made me feel filthy. My forehead naturally frowned. But whenever she saw my face, Rebecca just grinned and wriggled her nose. As if it was funny. I smiled as if I was unaffected by that. ¡°Unfortunately, ¡®that¡¯ had no intention of going out. My dear daughter, Rebecca.¡± ¡°Did you just say ¡®my daughter Rebecca¡¯?! Don¡¯t make me laugh!¡± ¡°Sadly, there¡¯s nothing funny about that. Now that I¡¯ve become your mom, from now on, Rebecca needs to listen well to me.¡± Before Rebecca could hide, I quickly moved towards the child and stroked her head. ¡°What are you doing!¡± ¡°I¡¯m touching you.¡± With no room to spare, I stroked Rebecca¡¯s head with care. ¡°It¡¯s annoying! Go away!¡± Unfortunately, I¡¯m not that kind of person who would back down with that much irritation. I got up from my seat hugging Rebecca, who was getting more and more agitated. ¡°Kyaaagh!¡± She was heavier than what I expected, and as a result, a crack sound was heard from my backbone. Luckily, I managed to repress my shriek and put on a forced smile. Surprised by my action, the duke came one step closer to me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m not going to hurt her.¡± ¡°Put me down!¡± ¡°If I just put you down from here, someone is going to get hurt.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you struggle so much, I might drop you on the floor.¡± Surprised by my threats, the body of a woman, who seemed to be her nanny, and the duke turned to my side. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as she¡¯s not struggling, I won¡¯t throw this cute Rebecca on the floor. There¡¯s no way a mother would throw her child on the floor, right?¡± I smiled brightly while remaining oblivious to whether their expressions became hardened or not. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you leave so that you can handle the dukedom state affairs now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you think I would abuse the child? She¡¯s not just any child, she¡¯s my child and the princess at that. I will take care of her with love, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± If you don¡¯t like it, just kick me out right away. The best thing to do here is to kick me out. I stared at him with bright eyes full of anticipation. However, the novel was really faithful to the original story. As I was staring at him intensely, thinking that I might soon be kicked out, the duke only nodded slowly. ¡°Of course, as you should since you are the mother of this child.¡± I never thought that he would give up this easily. In the meantime, Rebecca, who was frightened by the fact that she might fall, squeezed the hem of my dress as tight as she could. ¡°Da-Daddy! Don¡¯t leave!¡± ¡°Have fun, Rebecca. Try to get along well this time.¡± ¡°Daddy! This is crazy! Crazy! She¡¯s going to throw me! Daddy!¡± But whatever he was thinking, the Duke¡¯s eyes were stuck on the paper, which I said was a lie. He seemed to be in a hurry because he couldn¡¯t even hear his daughter¡¯s whimper. When the duke went out and the door was closed, the silence quickly descended upon the large room. Even Rebecca, who was violently struggling, stopped moving, while the maids and the nanny silently looked at me. Then the woman that I believed to be Rebecca¡¯s nanny, began talking. ¡°Why don¡¯t you put her down?¡± She was the only one wearing different clothes, and there was a strange sense of pride around her. She was wearing a heavy necklace around her neck, which came off incompatible to wear while taking care of the child. She doesn¡¯t appear like a maid, rather, she looks like a noblewoman. ¡°Who are you?¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4 The woman, with her brown hair neatly tied up, was clearly looking at me. ¡°I¡¯m Princess Rebecca¡¯s nanny, Giselle.¡± Strangely enough, the nanny seemed to have no intention of holding the child. ¡°I see.¡± At that time, the maid who read my expression approached me with a smile. ¡°We¡¯ll hold her for you, Lady Leona.¡± With a very different expression and voice than before. My forehead naturally frowned because they gave me a friendly feeling. ¡°What?¡± The faces of those people, who flocked around me as if they were forming a circle, were strange. Their eyes were twinkling. People, who smile, are scarier. As I was feeling uneasy, Rebecca, who was still in my arms, stretched out her arms to the maid. I had no choice but to let the child go to the maid¡¯s arms. Worried about me holding her again, Rebecca wrapped her legs around the maid¡¯s waist. ¡°Boo Hoo~ How dare you touch me!¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll touch you. It¡¯s still too early for you to be happy for being able to escape from my arms once, Rebecca.¡± When Rebecca went down to the floor, she stuck her tongue out and quickly ran through the dolls, then burrowed herself into one of the rabbit dolls. Nobody stopped her as if it was a familiar sight. ¡°From now on, if you let ¡®that¡¯ thing come close to me, I¡¯ll kill you all.¡± Don¡¯t worry, ¡®that¡¯ thing has no intention of coming close to you. After looking at Rebecca, who was throwing a tantrum, I slowly swerved my gaze at the room. There was a long table that didn¡¯t suit the child¡¯s taste inside the room. Then I sat down at the table that was piled up with the books that Rebecca would never touch during her leisure time. I didn¡¯t do anything in particular. I just wanted to see how stubborn Rebecca is. That¡¯s how the time passed by. Perhaps she thought that I was going to hug her again, so Rebecca kept burrowing herself inside the rabbit doll and didn¡¯t come out for a long time. Because of that, the room was filled with nothing but terrible silence. After a long time passed, Giselle approached the rabbit doll and kneeled. ¡°Miss, how about coming out now? It¡¯s hot in there.¡± ¡°Quiet! How dare you order me around! Do you want to be kicked out?¡± A brusque voice streamed through the rabbit doll. ¡°However¡­.¡± ¡°More than that, nanny. I¡¯ll stay here until ¡®that¡¯ gets out of my room! I¡¯m so annoyed, and I¡¯m in a bad mood!¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­..You have to eat, Miss. What if you get a fever?¡± ¡°Just leave me alone.¡± As I watched it, I casually took a book that was piled up on the table and opened it. ¡°How can you say that, Miss? It¡¯s not that I was worried about you, but¡­..¡± ¡°If you weren¡¯t worried, you wouldn¡¯t care whether she went out or not.¡± The nanny, who was trying to get the child out of there, stared at me keenly. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to raise a child by spoiling her like that, she¡¯ll only grow worse.¡± If you do everything that she asks for, there will be no end. In the end, it¡¯s not for the child¡¯s sake, but only a shortcut to destroy the child. ¡°¡­.You sound as if you really become the princess¡¯ mother.¡± The nanny¡¯s body, which was reacting sharply like a hedgehog, slowly turned towards me. ¡°First of all, that was indeed my duty. Even if you¡¯re her nanny, it would be great if you follow what I said.¡± It was difficult to refuse my orders as long as the Duke branded me as the ¡®mother¡¯ of the princess. She knew about that, which made the nanny¡¯s face become red. The nanny, who was gritting her teeth, finally took a step back. Soon enough, the icy sensation lodged in my head. Ignoring her gaze, I pretended to read the book thoroughly. Meanwhile, the wind blew gently through the door that was slightly open. Thanks to that, the pages of the book that I was looking at went over and over again. It¡¯s a tranquil time that only I could feel. The maids around me asked several times about bringing tea in order to get out of this situation, but I only spent my free time ignoring their words. Eventually, Rebecca couldn¡¯t endure it anymore. As one of the piled-up dolls fell, Rebecca pulled out her head from the doll. ¡°Enough! Why aren¡¯t you going yet? Open the window! It¡¯s hot. Hot!¡± After being together for a short time, I already felt intense fatigue. As I looked around, I was amazed by the appearance of the maids who refused to give up even when they were worn out. I can feel how much they had suffered all this time. So I stopped the maid who went to open the window right away. ¡°No. Don¡¯t open the window. It¡¯s easy to catch a cold if you open the window in this cold weather.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± After ¡®that¡¯, ¡®that thing¡¯, and ¡®get lost¡¯, is it ¡®hey¡¯ this time? Rebecca¡¯s face was revealed more than before. I could see that her eyebrows and bangs were completely soaked in sweat. The more she made a fuss, the stronger I would teach her a lesson. As if I couldn¡¯t hear her tantrums. ¡°Now it¡¯s time for a meal. I don¡¯t think the child wants to eat, so bring mine.¡± ¡°Yes? B-But¡­¡± It was the nanny who stopped me again this time. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Are you trying to tease the princess?¡± Leaving the bewildered maids behind, the nanny¡¯s face stiffened. I almost nodded when she asked me if I¡¯m trying to tease Rebecca. ¡°Tease her? No. I¡¯m just trying to teach her properly.¡± ¡°What do you mean? It sounds like you¡¯re trying to say I didn¡¯t properly take care of the miss?¡± The nanny¡¯s tone gradually increased. Then, as if she finally exploded after enduring her anger, Rebecca made a commotion again. ¡°Nanny! Get out! If not, I¡¯m going to collapse here! Huh?¡± ¡°A truly sick child doesn¡¯t threaten to be sick.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about Miss Rebecca!¡± Eventually, the nanny, who was unable to withstand Rebecca¡¯s urging, screamed at me. Only then did the child stare at me with a nod. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything. But I am sure of one thing, you are the most responsible as to why the child behaves like that. I¡¯m sure the Duke brought you in because you¡¯re competent and entrusted his child to you.¡± Her lips trembled because she couldn¡¯t refute my words. ¡°I believe you are competent. Because you¡¯ve been taking care of another family¡¯s child all this time. But because you¡¯re competent, you wouldn¡¯t be able to admit that your parenting method was wrong. You must have known it¡¯s wrong.¡± Unknowingly, my eyes narrowed. A child may not be able to change the nature that they were born with, but they can change their character while growing up. It depended on the caregiver¡¯s parenting method. This is why I was even angrier. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for that woman, it wouldn¡¯t have escalated this far.¡¯ The nanny, who had been listening to me, lit up her eyes, her face flaming red. ¡°The master has completely entrusted her to me! I¡¯m proud to raise her properly.¡± ¡°Not anymore. So if you¡¯re going to refute my words, get out.¡± ¡°Ha? You¡¯re asking me to leave when I was the one who raised the princess ever since she was a baby?¡± Her lips were trembling incessantly, unable to control her feelings. So I just nodded to her. ¡°Yes. If you don¡¯t follow what I said, get out of here.¡± ¡°¡­That word, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°Maybe. But if you truly want to make Rebecca feel better, even for a little bit, you must get out. If you don¡¯t get out even after I said this, I¡¯ll consider you as someone who wants Rebecca to be in a mess more than anyone else.¡± After that remark, the nanny¡¯s fierce expression didn¡¯t falter. Rather, she moved past me and looked at Rebecca, who was inside the rabbit doll. There was no particular conversation between the two, but I felt a strange atmosphere. Considering Rebecca¡¯s personality, she would be annoyed, but strangely the child only kept eye contact with the nanny for a long time without saying anything. ¡°Miss, do you really want me to go out?¡± ¡®Was it because of her words, or was it because the nanny¡¯s gaze emphasized something unspoken?¡¯ Rebecca pulled her head out completely after a long time. ¡°Why are you trying to kick my nanny out! You get out! You get out!¡± ¡°If you want me to go out, you have to talk to me properly, Rebecca. I¡¯m your mother.¡± ¡°Mom? As if! Get lost!¡± ¡°You need to say ¡®I sincerely ask you to leave¡¯. If you do so, I¡¯ll get out. And if you don¡¯t want me to drive your nanny away, you need to ask me properly. You need to get out of there and say that to me.¡± Rebecca¡¯s appearance somehow overlapped with mine, who grew up in an orphanage. With countless children I met there. So I was even more determined. Now that Rebecca has enjoyed everything, she has to learn how to give up. ¡®At least for Rebecca¡¯s future. No, it was for my future.¡¯ I glanced at Rebecca, who didn¡¯t respond to my question, then moved my gaze towards the door. ¡°Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t get the answer I wanted from the child. So you can get out now, nanny. Unless you want to get dragged out.¡± ¡°¡­Who do you think I am? I was the nanny of this family for more than five years! I¡¯m a much higher aristocrat than you!¡± Eventually, the nanny blew up, and instead of going out, she stood right in front of me. She was so furious as though she was going to do something right away, but she only stared at me dryly. Of course, she looked down at me because I was sitting down, and I looked up to her. ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t regret what you just said?¡± I shook off her hand, which was holding me, with all my strength. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t realize that if you disregard me, you¡¯re disregarding the duke who chose me to be the mother of Princess Rebecca, do you?¡± ¡°Are you trying to blackmail me with that? What a joke. I guess you don¡¯t understand the situation right now?¡± While snorting, she gritted her teeth and lowered her head towards me. ¡°If you really want to live in this house and be treated like a madam, then wake up. A lady of a noble family, huh? If you just listen to me, you can enjoy everything you want like everyone else.¡± Are you underestimating me? The nanny snickered and put her hand over my head. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Surprised by my unexpected behavior, she raised her body and shook her head. ¡°Listen carefully. You are a lady who doesn¡¯t know the ways of the world. This isn¡¯t very good for you. I don¡¯t know what kind of dream you¡¯re having, but you¡¯re nothing. Because I am the big shot here.¡± ¡°Did you say ¡®big shot¡¯? Not even the princess, but a nanny is a big shot? People will laugh at you.¡± I couldn¡¯t resist laughing at her words that I even struggled to close my mouth. ¡°You will regret it. You won¡¯t benefit anything if you act like this. You could be kicked out of here tomorrow. Completely naked.¡± ¡°Therefore, you are a big shot? In this dukedom? So I should throw away my useless pride and bow down in front of you, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re stupid. So it would be nice if you could squeeze that stubborn head of yours. Even the Duke can¡¯t do anything about me.¡± The nanny¡¯s head soared haughtily as if she was inquiring if I finally understood her. When I saw her act that way, I turned my gaze to Rebecca. ¡°Rebecca. You must be a doll. If the big shot of this house is your nanny.¡± Perhaps provoked by my twisted words, Rebecca shouted back. ¡°I¡¯m not a doll!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s what I heard. If you¡¯re not simply a child, you must have realized something. Do you think it¡¯s acceptable for her to look down on you and say that she¡¯s the big shot of this duchy?¡± Rebecca, who was pouting her mouth, flared out her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not a doll!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a doll. You can¡¯t even say anything to oppose your nanny.¡± ¡°Darn it¡­No, I¡¯m not! Nanny, get out!¡± ¡°Miss! Are you telling me to get out? What are you¡­¡± ¡°¡­Darn it. Are you deaf? Get out of here!¡± ¡°That woman only says weird things. I wouldn¡¯t think of you as a doll, would I?¡± As her eyes suddenly turned to Rebecca, the nanny¡¯s face became pale. She even walked up to the child in a hurry and grasped her hand, but it was meaningless. ¡°Shut up! Get out! Or else I will collapse here. Do you want me to collapse again? Do you want to get scolded by my dad?¡± ¡°Miss¡­!¡± ¡°Get out!¡± As if not a fool, Rebecca angrily buried herself inside the doll again. ¡°Mi-Miss¡­¡± The nanny¡¯s sorrowful voice filled the room, but nothing changed. Rebecca was adamant. I looked at her appearance for a long time and kicked my tongue. ¡°Mrs. Nanny, who said that she was a big shot. You¡¯re leaving now, right? The child told you to go.¡± ¡°How dare¡­How dare you¡­between me and miss..!¡± ¡°Now that I see it, I don¡¯t think you had that great of a bond with the child. And I know for sure this time, nanny. What you had done to the other stepmothers. But unfortunately, it¡¯s not going to work now. Unlike the others who grew up well, I grew up like wild weeds.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve talked about weeds, the more you step on it, the stronger it grows.¡± I grinned and waved my hand. Then the nanny, who was fuming and flushed red, stormed off as if she wouldn¡¯t let me go easily. ¡°Now, bring me a meal.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, Lady Leona. But what about the miss¡­¡± ¡°Bring it too. I¡¯ll let her eat when she comes out.¡± The maids, who were at a loss at what to do, finally moved out. Thanks to that, there were only two maids, Rebecca, and me in the room. ¡°Rebecca.¡± I finally folded the book I was reading and looked at the rabbit doll. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to come out, you don¡¯t have to. I will visit this room every day and stay here every day.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So I want to ask, why do you hate me so much? For no reason?¡± She didn¡¯t answer my question for a long time. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t expect an answer yet. Each child I saw at the orphanage had their own wounds. The wounds did not heal on their own even if they waited quietly for time to pass. It got worse, and it gradually tore them apart. So the first thing to do when children come to the orphanage was to listen to their story. If you don¡¯t know the root, you won¡¯t be able to find the solutions. ¡®I wanted to hear what you were thinking and what made you upset.¡¯ But Rebecca was reluctant to speak. Today is not the only day, so I decided to not bother Rebecca anymore. At that time, the child, who was silent for a while, mumbled something and then yelled in a small voice. ¡°¡­You¡¯re going to run away, too!¡± ¡°Run away?¡± ¡°Yes. The nanny said that. You are all the same! The first and second both ran away, so you¡¯re going to run away, too. That¡¯s why I told you not to be close to me from the start!¡± I was speechless for a moment. ¡°That woman said that?¡± ¡°Why do you keep asking? And I¡¯m not a doll. I didn¡¯t do what my nanny told me to do, It¡¯s my own idea. You fool!¡± ¡°Yes, it must be your idea. It was you who told the maid to prevent me from finding your room, right?¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s not what my nanny told me to do. That was my idea!¡± ¡®Even though her attitude is not agreeable in the first place¡­..The more she explained, the more I felt as though the child is being controlled by the nanny.¡¯ Rebecca probably considered her nanny, who has been taking care of her ever since she was a baby, her family. Perhaps other families were also like that. If the children of noble families listened to their nanny, then the nanny could really become the big shot in their house. Maybe that¡¯s why she was so confident. As I was immersed in my thoughts, the door, which had been closed for a while, suddenly opened. ¡°I have brought your meal.¡± Rebecca¡¯s face, which was buried in the rabbit doll, stuck out. ¡°Bring it to me. I¡¯m going to eat too.¡± ¡°No. If you want to eat, come to the table. You¡¯re not even a baby, do I need to feed you one by one there?¡± Thereafter, a warm soup was placed in front of me. The soft scent of potato was more appetizing than ever. ¡°Ha. You really think you are something!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I am something, Rebecca. I¡¯m worried about you. If I didn¡¯t care about you and had plans to leave you, would I even bother myself to try to fix your behavior?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then I would¡¯ve stayed quiet instead. I would have done what your nanny told me to do and just sit still. Perhaps if I did as she pleased, I might have lived in comfort just like a real madam of the family.¡± In the meantime, I moved my hand and ate the potato soup with a shiny silver spoon. The taste was wonderful. Leona¡¯s body was thrilled because of this incredible meal after eating bread the whole week. ¡°¡­Do-Don¡¯t be ridiculous! You¡¯re going to leave. I don¡¯t believe you! You are here because of money!¡± ¡°So you have heard the rumor. That¡¯s right. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t leave. It¡¯s because of money, and I want to change you, too.¡± ¡°¡­You can¡¯t leave? You¡¯re not leaving?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± My spoon had already emptied out all the potato soup. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no way you would let me run away when you paid for me.¡± I want to run away, too. With all my heart. It would be better to kick me out. Perhaps if I treat Rebecca like this, she might kick me out instead. Then, the closed door opened with a loud noise. ¡°What a splendid first day. The nanny ran to me and said you made a ruckus.¡± The Duke, with his hair all tangled up, came to me in an instant with a look of anger. Behind him was the nanny, who wouldn¡¯t let go of me. A woman with swollen eyes pretending to be a victim. ¡°A ruckus? I don¡¯t think so.¡± The Duke¡¯s gaze quickly turned to the child. ¡°It¡¯s indeed a ruckus. My daughter, the owner of this room, is still buried among the dolls, and you, who need to take care of the child, was casually eating?¡± The conversation between them was obvious even if I didn¡¯t see it myself. The finger of the angry duke was pointed towards Rebecca. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s good that you came. It¡¯s seemed to me that your daughter was ignored by her own nanny.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The nanny over there, what did she say?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to know.¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know. She must¡¯ve spoken nonsense. She might have said that I was abusing the child.¡± At her words, the Duke¡¯s lips trembled as if it was true. ¡°Are you confident?¡± ¡°Yes, because I¡¯ve never abused the child. I was just taken aback when the nanny said that she was the big shot of this house.¡± ¡°A big shot?¡± ¡°The child also heard it, so you can ask her directly. You¡¯re not that kind of father who would trust the nanny more than the child, are you?¡± The Duke, who looked displeased, finally moved towards the rabbit doll. ¡°Rebecca. Tell me, whose statement is true?¡± ¡°¡­Why! Why are you making a fuss about me!¡± ¡°Did somebody abused you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not abused! It was my idea!¡± At the unexpected words, the nanny hurriedly came to them. ¡°Miss, please tell me. She was abusing you, right? Huh? Sh- She didn¡¯t let you get out from here, right?¡± The nanny¡¯s trembling voice seemed to give a clear indication of how she had treated the child all this time. With a fascinating sight in front of me, I savored the bread. ¡°What!¡± ¡°You need to say it. Did that woman say something weird while I was away? Why did you change so much?¡± In the past, this much persuading was enough to make the child obey her, but now, the nanny¡¯s eyes were filled with shame. She was busy talking to Rebecca to prove her innocence, while anxiously waiting and biting off her long fingernails. ¡°No!¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 ¡°Then why¡­why did you become such a bad girl, miss? You are a good girl, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Rere, talk to me. What is going on? Why are you inside of this doll¡­?¡± The nanny, who thought everything would go according to her, gradually become aggressive. Her hand had already penetrated among the dolls. ¡°Miss, you have to listen to me.¡± ¡°Why are you making a fuss about me! I¡¯m just here because I want to.¡± Contrary to my expectation that she would tell the truth about the nanny, Rebecca did not say that she was a big shot. She just rolled her big eyes. Only then did I know how the child has been only been taken care of by the nanny. It was the reason why the nanny could be so confident. ¡®The child could never speak ill of her. She is the woman that she trusts more than her own daddy. She kept saying nasty things while looking at the nanny¡¯s eyes¡­because she was afraid that her nanny would abandon her.¡¯ The assumption that I made earlier turned into certainty. To prove it, the Duke kept asking questions, but the child just got angry. ¡°It¡¯s annoying! Get out of here!¡± ¡°Rere, then what should daddy do? Are you having a hard time with her?¡± At that time, the child¡¯s eyes swept past me quickly. ¡°No. She¡¯s a little annoying, but I¡¯ll just leave it.¡± ¡°Miss!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying that I like her! It¡¯s just¡­I want to watch her.¡± I was surprised by her unexpected remark. It was only natural that everyone turned their gaze at me. The nanny let out a rumble as if she was going to collapse right away. ¡°¡­Rere. Did you really want to keep her next to you?¡± ¡°Why do you keep asking! I said I will do that!¡± Only then did the Duke rise from his seat after barely calming down his angry tone. His face was loosened. With his hand swept over his disheveled hair, he looked at the nanny behind him with a look of annoyance. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think it was a big deal, nanny. Unlike what you had explained¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a big deal. I¡¯m sure that woman¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call her ¡®that woman¡¯. She is the child¡¯s mother and the madam of the dukedom both inside and outside. Watch your language.¡± Only then did the nanny bite her lips. ¡°¡­ I understand.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you get away if you make another ruckus like this. No matter how much I trust you as a nanny, you are only a nanny. I hope you never burst into my door again.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even if I didn¡¯t see her eyes fall on the ground, her thoughts were obvious. ¡°And you, too. Be cautious. I¡¯ll let it slide this time, but I won¡¯t tolerate it if my child shows a different attitude from before.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I wish you would just kick me out instead of tolerating me. I beckoned him, who seemed to be in a terrible mood, to return to his office right away and smiled. After looking at me for a long time with a displeased face, he finally went out and the room became quiet once again. Contrary to my expectation that she would make a fuss right away, the nanny wouldn¡¯t move from her spot like a rock. ¡°Nanny, you can get out if you want.¡± ¡°Are you kicking me out? My master didn¡¯t say anything about it.¡± ¡°No, I meant you could go outside if you¡¯re uncomfortable.¡± The nanny¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°¡­Are you proud of yourself because my master let you slide today?¡± She was busy twisting every word of mine and speaking sarcastically like a paparazzi. ¡°Of course I should be proud.¡± There was a tea set placed in front of me after I had finished my meal. Drinking tea itself wasn¡¯t my style, but I deliberately smelled the tea and made more exaggerated gestures. ¡°It smells good.¡± ¡°The miss hasn¡¯t eaten yet, but you¡¯re drinking tea alone?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the nanny cares about Rebecca that much.¡± The nanny stood stiffly because she was anxious about losing her position. ¡°Let me say one more thing. I feel like the nanny couldn¡¯t take good care of her, so I won¡¯t allow her to have personal meetings with the nanny for the time being, except when I¡¯m with her.¡± ¡°Ha. Are you saying that a nanny shouldn¡¯t take care of the miss at night?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t worry. Rebecca is surrounded by so many excellent personal maids on her side. If it doesn¡¯t work, I think I can stay, too.¡± Unlike the sullen nanny, the atmosphere in the room was calm. ¡°You can choose whether you want to go out or stay inside. But I¡¯m going to stay here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A long time had passed and the nanny remained silent. Rather, I could only hear Rebecca¡¯s muffled breath inside the rabbit doll. ¡®So you don¡¯t want to go out.¡¯ The nanny¡¯s eyes glared at me to the point where I thought her eyes might fall out. The more she did, the more exaggeration I put on my actions by drinking tea and reading books. Eventually, Rebecca came out with a wry look before evening came. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Are you going to eat?¡± ¡°Yes. No matter what you say, I¡¯m going to eat.¡± ¡°Go ahead. Bring food for the two of us.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave!¡± ¡°Are you eating three meals a day? Are you sick? That was my duty to take care of you as your mom. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not even my mom, you¡¯re just pretending to be my mom! Don¡¯t make me laugh.¡± Rebecca, who was sitting in the farthest seat from me, stomped her feet and began to hit the table with the utensils. As if it was a familiar sight, the maids quickened their pace and eventually placed the food in front of Rebecca. Perhaps she was afraid that I would take away her food, Rebecca hurriedly lifted the spoon and began emptying the plates. ¡°You can eat slowly. I¡¯m not going to take it away.¡± ¡°¡­.You¡¯re not taking it away? But you acted like you were going to do so!¡± ¡°I was just trying to teach you basic manners. One should never steal food from someone who starts eating properly.¡± Only then did Rebecca drink water and eat slowly. Even so, I was not in a comfortable state because the child was busy glaring at me. ¡®Eating etiquette is the basic of the basics. I have to teach you that, but now is not a good time to do it.¡¯ When I was about to get out to let her have a comfortable meal, Rebecca, who had a few spoons of soup, bread, fruit, and drink, jumped out of her seat. ¡°I¡¯m going to play.¡± ¡°Are you done eating?¡± ¡°What. Are you even interfering with my meals now?¡± I saw the leftover food on the table. She didn¡¯t eat any vegetables and didn¡¯t even touch the deliciously cooked steak. ¡°Is this how the child eats?¡± I raised my chin to point it at Rebecca, who was sitting on the floor. The maid next to her quickly bowed her head. ¡°Miss Rebecca doesn¡¯t usually eat well. Especially this kind of dish¡­¡± They said that Rebecca couldn¡¯t digest food like meat. ¡°She doesn¡¯t look that small though.¡± As if it caught her attention, Rebecca¡¯s head turned a little bit towards me. ¡°Am I not small?¡± ¡°Did you say you were five-year-old?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m five.¡± ¡°Yes. Not so small for a five-year-old.¡± At my words, Rebecca smiled brightly. ¡°So I¡¯m not small.¡± I was surprised by her innocent voice that I heard for the first time. ¡®Did no one ever tell you because you have nobody you can compare yourself to? Even so, the nanny should have told you.¡¯ At that time, the nanny intercepted with her sharp voice. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop saying nonsense to the miss?¡± ¡°Nonsense? You surely know that the child is taller than her peers, right?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not big. How can you say that when you know nothing?¡± Did you say I know nothing? Having lived in an orphanage, I have seen children at that age more than anyone else. Therefore, I know for sure that the child is taller than her age. Even Leona, who lived in this world and faced numerous people, was well-versed in this basic information. But for lying in front of me¡­ ¡°Nanny, you don¡¯t seem to know because you¡¯ve been in this house for too long.¡± ¡°¡­.Are you disregarding me now?¡± ¡°You disregarded me first. I¡¯m just returning the favor.¡± Upon hearing my words, the nanny¡¯s mouth began to quiver. Her eyes shook to the left and right as if she wanted to reprimand me right away. ¡°You are so impudent for someone who came here for the money. If I were you, I¡¯d be so embarrassed to appear before Miss Rebecca. The people before you didn¡¯t come to ¡®receive money¡¯ and sell their body like a prostitute.¡± ¡°Someone who is a nanny doesn¡¯t filter out her words in front of a child?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not wrong, is it?¡± ¡°Maybe. But what is the difference between me playing the role of her mother for money and you playing the role of her nanny for money?¡± ¡°I¡­!!!¡± I don¡¯t know where her confidence came from, but she tried to raise her voice but shut her mouth immediately. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s so different?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying. The dog smeared with shit is scolding the dog smeared with bran. It¡¯s so~ funny that you said that to me.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not the same!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no idiot who thinks it¡¯s not the same. If you¡¯re going to be so loud in front of the child, just get out. I¡¯m kicking you out this time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Some people need to get scolded harshly so they can finally wake up. Just like the nanny. Eventually, I finally started my late meal after she became quiet. It was a cold soup and steak, but the food tasted very good. Thanks to it, I finished my meal quickly. ¡®If I can eat this delicious meal every day, I¡¯ll visit this room more often even if I don¡¯t like it.¡¯ If I come often, Rebecca will hate me more. Eventually, the duke will kick me out, right? The wind breezed mildly. ¡°Well, nanny, let¡¯s go out.¡± ¡°Do you mean it? Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay up here all night?¡± ¡°Of course, so let¡¯s get out.¡± ¡°Ha? But the miss can¡¯t sleep without me!¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Perhaps it was a hard day. Rebecca was sleeping soundly in her maid¡¯s arms. ¡°Ha¡­.I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll look for me when she wakes up!¡± Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but if you¡¯re truly a nanny, you wouldn¡¯t raise your voice when the child is sound asleep.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s because you keep talking nonsense!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get dragged away, let the child rest and get out. I¡¯m afraid the child might wake up if you were here.¡± For a long time, she glared at me. But then, whether she changed her mind or not, she went out without saying anything. Just in case she came back, I stayed in the room for another half an hour before leaving. ¡°In case the nanny drops by, come and tell me anytime.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. I understand.¡± It wasn¡¯t really the mood where the maids would listen to me. They seemed to treat me better compared to when I first arrived in this room. However, their superior was the nanny, not me. So I turned around without saying anything compelling. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± This is my first day working, and it¡¯s been an eventful day that I became so sleepy. But then, when I was about to walk out of Rebecca¡¯s room, someone stopped me. ¡°Excuse me¡­Lady Leona.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Fr-From now on, I will regularly pick up Lady Leona in the morning¡­!¡± She was one of the maids. I think I saw her in Rebecca¡¯s room briefly, but she wasn¡¯t special as I couldn¡¯t remember her. ¡°My name is May!¡± As I stared at her, the woman hurriedly lowered her head and introduced herself. ¡°It¡¯s only been 3 months since I entered the duke¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re with me, it might only cause you more trouble.¡± She couldn¡¯t possibly be happy with my sudden push. But May, who was oblivious of my discomfort, smiled brightly. ¡°It¡¯s fine! Actually, I might quit soon. So¡­please don¡¯t feel pressured! I¡¯m not on the nanny or the duke¡¯s side!¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not siding with them, huh? You don¡¯t have to answer everything I ask. The more you easily open your mouth, the more it¡¯ll likely strangle yourself one day.¡± At my words, May hurriedly grabbed her neck with her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind¡­!¡± It was an advice for myself and her. It was also a piece of advice for May about the person who sent her here. ¡°Th-Then may I accompany Lady Leona?¡± ¡°Do as you please. I¡¯m going to return to my room anyway.¡± May, who seemed to be happy about something, started walking a step ahead of me. With brown bob hair, she looked the same age as Leona, but she was much brighter than her. ¡°I¡¯m worried that you might refuse me!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I want to get along with Lady Leona!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that you were quitting? Why would you want to get along with me.¡± ¡°Ah¡­Th-That.¡± I could see that her steps were subtly shaken. ¡°That¡¯s true. But isn¡¯t it better to get along before I leave?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But why would you leave? There¡¯s nothing better than being the maid in this dukedom.¡± Only then did May turn around and clap her hands. ¡°Actually, the Imperial Palace is recruiting a maid! So I want to go there.¡± ¡°In the palace? They hardly recruit new workers unless there is a special occasion, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°While the Crown Prince is selecting his fiancee, the Crown Princess¡¯ palace is under restoration. Since the Crown Prince may get married at any time soon, they are gathering and preparing the maids from early on. This way, the palace maid won¡¯t have to wait for one or two years.¡± Hearing her words, I let out a sigh. Come to think of it, Rebecca was supposed to be the prince¡¯s fiancee. Her already trashy personality will become worse as soon as she becomes the prince¡¯s fiancee. ¡®The word ¡®arrogant beyond belief¡¯ fits her perfectly.¡¯ As soon as I was about to sigh, a good idea came to my mind. ¡®I¡¯m Leona anyway. Leona was abandoned by her own family. No one would look for her. So if I don¡¯t have any place to go later, should I just become the palace maid?¡¯ I was worried for a while thinking about how I would live after being kicked out of here. For Leona, family existence was unnecessary. They cling onto her and is sucking her blood dry. Therefore, the palace maid recruitment itself could be my refuge after my escape from here. I smiled as kindly as possible to May, who gave me the valuable information. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s why I¡¯ll definitely become the palace maid!¡± ¡°Yes. I hope it goes well.¡± However, I had no choice but to feel strange. Why would the maid that I just met today tell me such detailed information? As if it was a written scenario. ¡°But can you just say that casually? Does the Duke understand that you¡¯re going to quit like that?¡± ¡°Ah¡­Yes. He understands. Ah, we have arrived!¡± In the meantime, we walked quite a long time, and before I knew it, we already arrived in front of my room. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, May. You know where my room is located at once.¡± Not only that, but all her actions were suspicious. ¡°I-I heard it from someone. I was enamored with Lady Leona the first time we met and wanted to be on your side.¡± ¡°I see. Thanks for taking me here.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll pick you up before the miss wakes up tomorrow!¡± May bowed her head and opened the door, and I entered the room appreciating the unintended luxury. I was so tired that as soon as the door closed, I threw my body in bed and fell asleep. *** Every day is pretty much the same. As if to keep what she said, May came to pick me up every day. Was it because of that? I couldn¡¯t find the room without her. I was so bad with directions, and I didn¡¯t bother to memorize it because I am used to having someone guide me. Fortunately, I had memorized the way every time I went out in case of an unforeseen situation. Using the excuse of feeling stuffy, I strolled around before going to Rebecca¡¯s room, and thanks to that I precisely remember the way. There was a small kitchen not too far from my room. The restaurant, which only opened when the guests came, was empty. I went there every night and made the food that I wanted to eat. That¡¯s how I spent my time in the dukedom. The Duke hadn¡¯t said anything about me since then, and all I had to do was to come three times a day to see Rebecca. Unfortunately, there was no such thing as him kicking me out. So 15 days had passed. ¡°What are you going to do today?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to answer me now?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. Don¡¯t talk to me. It¡¯s annoying.¡± As the days went by, Rebecca¡¯s nerves grew sharp. As if showing that she¡¯s not in a good shape when I was here. ¡°Yes. Then do as you please. Oh, I will also spend time reading other books.¡± After a few days, the child seemed to open her heart to me. But then, Rebecca changed again. She became sensitive and distanced herself from me. I quietly looked at Rebecca, and for her sake, moved my gaze to the book I had prepared. It¡¯s almost eleven o¡¯clock. The child moved in a constant pattern. Woke up around 11 a.m, washed up, had breakfast, and after that, she spent time doing whatever she wanted to do. She mostly stayed inside the room, but there are times when the child moved peculiarly. Once a day, she went to the garden when the sun was warm. That¡¯s why I went to the Duke¡¯s office with May after entrusting the child to the others to go to the garden. My sudden appearance made the chamberlain¡¯s face, who was guarding the office, turn white. ¡°Ah¡­La-Lady Leona.¡± ¡°I came to see the Duke. But your face seemed so stiff as if it¡¯s not right for me to come here.¡± ¡°Oh, no. I didn¡¯t think that you were going to come here. I¡¯ll announce your presence to the Duke.¡± The chamberlain looked at me and May subsequently with a stunned expression and went inside. After a while, the door opened, and finally, I had another private audience with that guy after a long time. ¡°You¡¯re looking for me? How rare.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to say thank you, and there¡¯s something I wanted to discuss.¡± ¡°What made you thank me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m comfortable walking around because you¡¯ve appointed someone to guide me. I wanted to express my gratitude.¡± He was a little surprised at what I said, but then a smile rose on his face. ¡°So you know?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way anyone would approach me without a particular intention. It¡¯s a principle to be especially careful about unconditional kindness.¡± I knew it right away when May suddenly approached me. Rather, it was more amazing that he didn¡¯t know I was aware of that. Sticking to the door, I looked at him for a long time. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t entirely because of my command that made them stand next to you. How did you capture the maid¡¯s hearts? Because the number of applicants has increased significantly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± Why? One has to be careful about unconditional kindness, but why would the maid want to be by my side? Actually, I have no expectations of him. But then, he made eye contact with me as he brushed his disheveled hair up. ¡°So why are you here today?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a walk?¡± ¡°Take a walk? I wonder if this is a dream.¡± While saying that, the Duke arranged the documents in one place. ¡°You won¡¯t refuse it?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m curious about you. I heard you¡¯ve been doing strange things to my daughter lately.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it in a good way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a compliment.¡± Seeing him concede to my invitation so easily, I smiled. Whatever the reason is, I just need to take him. In the meantime, he wore his outer garment and came close to the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go. But where are we going?¡± ¡°The maze.¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¡°Maze, huh? I heard you¡¯ve been going there every night these days.¡± ¡°As expected, you knew. No wonder, unlike the beginning, there were no guards or servants who stopped me. Of course, unless there is a certain method to block me¡­¡± The road to the outside was completely blocked by him. It gave me the feeling that I could only move around at a certain limit. ¡°Because I still can¡¯t fully trust you.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± He looked down at me with a proud look. Unlike the first time, his expression was strangely warm. ¡°¡­Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s interesting. Definitely an interesting human being. The things that I thought may have upset you, did not upset you. The things that I did not think would upset you, made you upset. You are really peculiar.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary person. It¡¯s the Duke and Rebecca who are peculiar.¡± Meanwhile, we reached the maze garden. Naturally, he tried to move towards the maze entrance. But I grabbed him in a hurry. ¡°This way.¡± ¡°That would be the exit of the maze.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There are maids at the entrance of the maze. Instead of the crowded place, it¡¯s better to go this way.¡± Contrary to my expectation that he would ask the reason why, he only nodded as if he understood and followed me. ¡°But was Rebecca always like that?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you if she cannot control her feelings.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s always been like that in my memory. Is that a problem?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a big problem.¡± While looking around, I lowered my body and tried to reduce the sound of my footsteps. ¡°From now on, don¡¯t make any noise.¡± ¡°Why do I need to do that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I want to show you properly. What is happening to the child.¡± His face stiffened upon hearing my words. But he followed me carefully without making a sound. ¡®You understand me very well.¡¯ I didn¡¯t accompany Rere during her several strolling schedules solely to prepare for this day. The only time the nanny could meet the child without me. I purposely blocked all the time the child and the nanny could meet and only set her free during this time. I had to make it as if there¡¯s no other time for them to meet other than this certain time and made them strongly want for this time to come. In conclusion, it was a success. I looked through the window in Rebecca¡¯s room to see which way the child moved every time. Every time Rebecca went out for a walk, she headed to the maze garden. Among the paths available in the maze, the child purposely dug into a place where there were no people around and then followed by her nanny. ¡®That¡¯s when she changed.¡¯ The maze in which two people always went in. It¡¯s not clear why it was made, but there was a small maze in the mansion. The maze made of well-groomed Leylandii wood gave off a refreshing aroma. At dawn when everyone was asleep, I came down here by myself several times to inspect the maze. As a result, I had to get lost several times, and after all my efforts, I barely found the mark of the secret rendezvous between Rebecca and her nanny in the small maze. First of all, the maze was a decent place for two people to have a conversation. If you weren¡¯t looking for an exit and talk in the middle, no one would disturb you. However, a maze is a place made up of thin walls. It¡¯s not that difficult to hear their conversations as long as you face the same wall. Like now. ¡°Why don¡¯t you listen?¡± A high-pitched voice of a woman. The Duke¡¯s body, which had been walking slowly along with me, hardened. Surprised, he tried to raise his head, but I shook my head and stopped him. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I told you not to believe that woman, but you¡¯re giggling like a fool and decided to trust her? I told you not to do that!¡± ¡°It hurts! Let go of me!¡± ¡°Do you want to be abandoned by me? Should I leave now? If I do, there won¡¯t be a single person who would listen to you.¡± Rebecca¡¯s painful whimper soon stopped. ¡°No! Don¡¯t leave. Don¡¯t leave me no matter what. I hate it!¡± ¡°So you have to kick her out. Like what you¡¯ve done to the other women.¡± ¡°B-But she said she won¡¯t leave¡­also, let go of me, it hurts. Your fingernails are stuck in my arms!¡± I was about to jump out faster than the Duke when I heard that she was in pain, but I managed to soothe my heart. We need to witness it properly. How she had been treated all this time. Meanwhile, the Duke¡¯s eyes were filled with anger. ¡°You¡¯re foolish, that¡¯s why you¡¯re always abandoned. In the end, the Duke will also throw you away.¡± ¡°N-No, Daddy won¡¯t leave me!¡± ¡°How can you be so sure? There were countless maids and stepmothers on your side¡­in the end, who stayed?¡± ¡°Only¡­nanny stayed..¡± ¡°So get on your senses. If you don¡¯t want to be abandoned.¡± The child only mumbled for a long time. So that¡¯s how it is. I was wondering how the nanny had been treating her. By saying that she was going to leave, she dug into the child¡¯s most vulnerable spot. In the meantime, she would have used a small amount of violence. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what to do anymore. No matter what I do, she won¡¯t leave..¡± ¡°You have to pester her more. Don¡¯t eat, lie down on the floor, and say you¡¯re sick.¡± ¡°Bu-But she doesn¡¯t look so bad¡­..Ma-Maybe she won¡¯t leave me!¡± It was then. Slap-! Anyone can tell that it was a slap in the cheek. She¡¯s crazy. It was a slap on the cheek, and the sound alone filled me with unbearable anger. I want to catch her on the spot and head-slam her on the ground right away. It was the Duke who stopped me from reacting impulsively. He held my hand as he gnawed his lips until it seeped blood. He gestured that it¡¯s not the time yet. ¡°Ah¡­Na-Nanny. Why¡­¡± ¡°Go to the Duke right away. Tell him that you were hit by that woman. Cry and go crazy. He might believe it if he sees your red cheek.¡± ¡°¡­But¡­This is the nanny¡¯s doing¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing this because you¡¯re not listening. If you don¡¯t listen to me, I¡¯ll punish you more. Okay? You don¡¯t have to worry. Because I¡¯m the only one who won¡¯t leave your side.¡± ¡°¡­Yes¡­only nanny won¡¯t leave¡­¡± ¡°Everything that woman does is just an act. Miss, you¡¯re so nice. Don¡¯t fall for that. She¡¯s just like your mother and the stepmothers who abandoned you.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Then go. Go ahead and tell the Duke. If you don¡¯t listen, it¡¯ll hurt more than it is now.¡± As if she had said everything she had to say, the nanny¡¯s voice became loud again. In the end, the Duke, who couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, went over a wall that was as tall as an adult at once. ¡°You don¡¯t have to look for me.¡± But it¡¯s too much for me. Leona¡¯s body worked so much that she had a lot of muscles, but she wasn¡¯t strong enough to jump over the wall. Because she didn¡¯t eat and grow up well. In the end, only the Duke went to the other side. ¡°Du-Duke¡­.!¡± ¡°Da¡­Daddy?¡± ¡°I was wondering what you were doing in this place¡­No wonder, this is why the child only follows the nanny.¡± There was a moment of silence. From beyond the wall, I can infer the situation without even seeing their faces. ¡°That¡­Duke. Since when were you listening¡­¡± Then Rebecca took advantage of the nanny¡¯s stutter and went to his arms. ¡°Daddy!¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Rere.¡± ¡°That woman hit me. Look at my cheek!¡± The child¡¯s innocent words made the nanny¡¯s throat dry. ¡°You really have red cheeks. It hurt a lot, hmm?¡± ¡°Yeah! It hurt a lot. That woman made me like this.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s swollen. How dare she hit my daughter¡­How come I didn¡¯t even know about this.¡± Beyond the wall, I could feel the Duke¡¯s anger. ¡°No, miss. Just a moment.¡± As if she guessed that the situation was not good, the nanny¡¯s voice was heard one after another. ¡°Rere. You don¡¯t have to lie. Tell me, did your nanny order you to say that you were hit by that woman?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. I see.¡± The Duke¡¯s yielding voice made Rebecca raise her voice more. ¡°That woman was hitting me and abused me. That¡¯s why, daddy, kick her out.¡± ¡°¡­So that¡¯s how it was.¡± Whether she felt something was strange or if she really had short-sighted thinking, the nanny added a word. ¡°Th-That¡¯s right. It¡¯s all because of that woman.¡± ¡°Because of that woman?¡± ¡°I¡¯m meeting the miss here because that woman has been abusing her and keeping us from meeting each other. The miss likes me very much that she runs here whenever that woman isn¡¯t looking. All of this to meet me.¡± There was no answer for a long time. I could imagine how the nanny would look even if I didn¡¯t cross the wall. She¡¯s pretending to be a victim just like in the past. She did her best to kick me out and control Rebecca¡¯s every move to become the real big-shot. ¡°Your Excellency¡­¡± ¡°Is that what happened?¡± Whether the nanny was convinced that he trusted her, or she thought he didn¡¯t hear anything else, the nanny opened her mouth diligently. ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t even mention it. Even the maids were afraid to speak out, but I¡¯m sure that she¡¯s hitting the miss in the room, not feeding her, and is dealing with her poorly.¡± ¡°If that is true, she¡¯s a trashy woman. How dare she hit my child? Rere, now tell me. Are the nanny¡¯s words true?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Hearing the child who spoke without hesitation, I could imagine how the child had been victimized by the nanny. ¡®How could you lie so easily?¡¯ ¡°Is that really true?¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¡°I told you so. Do you think Miss Rebbeca would lie?¡± He breathed a deep sigh at the brazen attitude of the nanny. ¡°So, according to the nanny, Rere would come here whenever that woman wasn¡¯t looking?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°And you¡¯re telling me that woman hit Rere a little while ago?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­co-correct! ¡°Daddy. That¡¯s right. That woman hit me.¡± ¡°Yes, Rere. Your cheeks are red as if you just got hit, but your nanny didn¡¯t hit you, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°How strange. How did you say that woman hit Rere when she stayed with me the whole time?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Do I come out now? I had no choice but to jump over the wall and landed with a ¡®thud¡¯ sound. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯ve been here with the Duke, and the nanny is lying again.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, no! Daddy! My nanny is right! That woman over there hit me.¡± ¡°Rere, stop it. Lying is a bad thing. You keep lying to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not? Then how did she hit you?¡± Only then did Rebecca bow her head and purse her lips in a pout. ¡°I don¡¯t know! She hit me! If I say that, then that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°¡­Rebecca. Have you done this before?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Did you do what she told you like a puppet?¡± He put Rebecca down and shook her shoulder. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know! I said I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Right¡­What do you know? It¡¯s all her fault.¡± Only then did his eyes turn to the nanny. ¡°¡­You better explain yourself.¡± ¡°That¡­Uh¡­that¡­It¡¯s true that I fabricated today¡¯s incident, but that woman continued to abuse miss¡­¡± But before she completed her words, the Duke glared at her fiercely. ¡°You hurt my daughter, right?¡± ¡°¡­Your Grace. This¡­all of this¡­is according to miss Rebecca¡¯s wishes.¡± ¡°Why are you making such an excuse? Since when did you think I¡¯ve been listening to your conversation?¡± Only then did she raise her head and make eye-contact with the Duke. ¡°Pa-Pardon?¡± ¡°From the very beginning. I¡¯ve heard the conversation from the other side, and it¡¯s driving me crazy. I want to strangle you to death right away, but I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Yo¡­Your Grace¡­! It¡¯s a misunderstanding¡­.¡± ¡°Misunderstanding? Are you kidding me? I saw you abused the child with your own mouth, yet you dare to say it was a misunderstanding? You even mentioned the child¡¯s mother.¡± Only then did the nanny lie flat on the floor. ¡°Fo-Forgive me. Forgive me. I¡¯m¡­..¡± At that moment¡­ The Duke drew the sword from his waist and thrust it into her hand at once. ¡°Gyaah-!¡± ¡°Does it hurt? My daughter would have been hurt more. My daughter who couldn¡¯t even speak¡­..If I followed my mind, I would¡¯ve slit your throat right away, but I endured it, so shut your mouth and stay still.¡± ¡°Please¡­no. Please¡­hear me out¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to hear any more.¡± He continued to show an agitated expression. ¡°Ha¡­To think that I put someone like you next to my daughter.¡± ¡°Daddy. Don¡¯t do that. She¡¯s my nanny! Don¡¯t bully my nanny!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not bullying her, Rere. Why on earth did you not say anything? That she has been abusing you?¡± ¡°For the child, the nanny must have been her whole world. She¡¯d rather trust her more than you.¡± I couldn¡¯t stand it and squeezed myself between the two. ¡°Ha¡­¡± At my words, the Duke clenched his fists. ¡°¡­Is it because she doesn¡¯t trust me enough?¡± ¡°Kind of.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°So it¡¯s only right to keep her away from the child now. There are plenty of opportunities to punish her.¡± Rebecca, who only looked at the situation, opened her eyes wide. ¡°What are you saying! What are you going to do with my nanny!¡± ¡°¡­Stop it, Rebecca. Anyone who makes a mistake must be punished. If I can, I¡¯d like to finish her life right away¡­but for now, I can¡¯t do that, especially in front of you¡­¡± Rebecca hurriedly ran in front of the nanny and shielded her. ¡°No! My nanny will be by my side! She will be with me until the very end! You can¡¯t take my nanny away!¡± But he was adamant. The duke, who held Rebecca in his arm, grabbed the nanny¡¯s arm with his other hand. ¡°Just follow me.¡± ¡°Your Grace¡­I¡­I can¡¯t go like this. I still have my duty here. So please don¡¯t kick me out.¡± ¡°Shut up. It was your hand before, but next time, I¡¯ll pull out your tongue.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­¡± The nanny helplessly followed the Duke¡¯s footsteps. ¡°No! Don¡¯t bother my nanny. I said don¡¯t bother her!¡± The struggling Rebecca even shed tears, but it was futile. *** The nanny was replaced. I don¡¯t know the details, but according to May, the Emperor took the nanny and said that he would personally punish her. I then heard that the nanny was the one that the Emperor directly chose and sent to the Duke. He said that she would take good care of Rebecca because the nanny was competent. For that reason, the Emperor was angrier over the fact that the nanny caused all this trouble, but the matter was concluded discreetly. The nanny that came in afterward was certainly different from the one before. To be exact, the new nanny was originally a maid from here. She was Rebecca¡¯s exclusive maid from her childhood days who was forced to step back from her position and assigned to do laundry due to the nanny¡¯s harassment. The nanny refused to leave because she was worried about Rebecca. Her name was Daisy. ¡°Lady Leona!¡± Fifteen days after Rebecca¡¯s nanny was replaced, it¡¯s been a month since I became her stepmother. ¡°Ah, nanny.¡± ¡°I was unsure about what to give, so I followed Lady Leona¡¯s advice to serve all kinds of dishes for Miss Rebecca, but she only ate a spoonful.¡± Unlike Rebecca¡¯s former nanny, this nanny was gentle and good-natured. She had her hair neatly tied up, her clothes were made of soft cotton, she had no accessories, and her nails were short. Perhaps because the Duke was very shocked by the attitude of the previous nanny, he thoroughly chose the nanny himself this time. ¡°She won¡¯t eat?¡± ¡°Yes. What should we do? Maybe, if Lady Leona goes¡­she will eat.¡± ¡°¡­Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± Instead, things have changed between Rebecca and I. Regardless of what the nanny had done to the child, for Rebecca, the nanny was her whole world. I expected the child to hate me, but her rebellion was more intense than I thought. The child, who has been screaming to bring the nanny back, was sick for three days after the nanny left. Every time she saw me, she would throw a fit by yelling and screaming as if she was having a seizure, so I had no choice but to see the child who didn¡¯t want to eat for a short time. Of course, the sympathy disappeared after a few days. From that day on, I became a tool to feed the child. I will go out if you eat. I won¡¯t go out if you don¡¯t eat. Using this strategy. But that can¡¯t be done every time. Even worse, I was often told that Rebecca did not eat well. Eventually, I intervened with the child¡¯s meal because I felt like I couldn¡¯t bear to watch this any longer. ¡°Rebecca.¡± ¡°Why are you here again!¡± Her response did not deviate from what I had expected. As soon as Rebecca saw me, she had all sorts of tempers. The child sat in the farthest seat and glared at me. ¡°Get lost.¡± The child, who was endlessly fuming and struggling, let out a curse as soon as she got down from my arms. Rebecca Petri. That was the name of the child who was cursing flawlessly at me. For that reason, it would make one wonder if that really came out from a 5-year-old girl¡¯s mouth. This young girl was an outstanding prospective villainess. She would poison the woman who persistently thrived to become the Crown Princess. And I¡¯m the third stepmother of that child, Leona Selen. ¡°I said get lost!¡± ¡°Yes, Rere, but you should eat first. I¡¯ll get lost after you eat, so let¡¯s just eat this, okay?¡± I wanted to clean up the meal because the child said she didn¡¯t want to eat. But this child is a powerful young noble, and I had to pacify such a difficult child because I¡¯m her stepmother. Thanks to her, it feels like I¡¯m at war every day. Who said that a child¡¯s very existence itself is wonderful? To some extent, I could agree, but Rere is an exception. While I swallowed my pent-up anger inside, Rere couldn¡¯t withstand her temper and began to throw things. ¡®That¡¯s a relief, there¡¯s nothing dangerous here.¡¯ I was relieved for a moment because I thought I wouldn¡¯t be in a dangerous situation enough to get hurt, but¡­ One of them hit me right in the face. Tak-! ¡°Ah.¡± I spouted a single groan at the unexpected pain. A wooden block bounced under my feet and then rolled around. I cleared out all the dangerous things away, but it was still there somehow. I couldn¡¯t even feel the pain due to my perplexity. At first, I thought I was okay. But the next moment, something trickled down as my forehead got hot. ¡®It¡¯s not blood, is it?¡¯ When I wiped my forehead with my hands, warm blood was smeared all over my hand. ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s red blood. For a moment, I was wondering if this was a dream. At that time, the startled Rere ran to me belatedly. ¡°Blo-Blood¡­! Th-That¡¯s why I told you to get lost!¡± She¡¯s not even apologizing. Damn it. Stepmother or whatever, should I just give up on it and smack her harshly before running away? I wiped my forehead with my hands without even thinking about taking out my handkerchief because I was dazed. There is so much blood leaking out that even if I wiped it off, the blood kept getting on my hands. It was so dreadful. Then, Rere came close to me. ¡°Won¡¯t you¡­get angry?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Why are you not angry!¡± It¡¯s me who should be angry, but why are you getting annoyed? Don¡¯t worry about it, Rere. I was about to get angry. What should I do with you? Would it make you feel better if I took you somewhere and smacked your buttocks? ¡°¡­Why are you not angry. Why!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I want to hit you. I have been thinking about this for more than a hundred times. I think the people in this family have spoiled you too much. If I hit your butt 100 times, will you wake up? As I was immersed in my thoughts, along with the sound of the door opening, there was an unfamiliar voice. ¡°¡­It¡¯s the first time. You are the first person who did not get angry at the child¡¯s behavior.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± At the stern voice of the man, I raised my head hurriedly. He was Rere¡¯s father, the head of the irrevocable dark family, and the Duke, Ian Petri. ¡°No matter what she does, are you trying to raise her with love?¡± My body flinched at the stern man¡¯s words. ¡°Your Grace, that¡¯s not what I mean¡­¡± The moment I was stiffened by his taciturn gaze, Rebecca approached me. ¡°Hey, you¡­¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Just you wait, Rere. I¡¯ll give you a little bit of spanking later. But Rere pulled the hem of my clothing towards her. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t mean it. Sorry¡­¡± Huh? This is not right. Unlike my expectations that she would utter profanity and scream, Rere rushed to me with tears flowing down from her beady pair of eyes. What¡¯s wrong with you? ¡°You¡¯re acting a little bit different¡­¡± The Duke is acting strange, too. Hey, that¡¯s not it! Things are starting to turn strangely. Can you not be sorry¡­? Eventually, I received medical treatment from the doctor that was commissioned from outside. Although I wasn¡¯t seriously injured, the doctor said that he should wrap my head with a bandage because of the torn wound. A white bandage wrapped around my head. I couldn¡¯t refuse that. I thought I¡¯d bleed if I didn¡¯t cover it up. There was no other choice but to have a white bandage wrapped around my head. So by the time the treatment was over, Rebecca, who rushed into the room, screamed. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡°It¡¯s not my fault!¡± Rebecca, who seemed to have been reflecting on herself with trembling eyes until a while ago, glared at me again and gritted her teeth. What did I do so wrong? One might think that I¡¯m the perpetrator. So I just sighed. ¡°Haa.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all done. It wasn¡¯t a serious wound, but it was torn, so please be careful for the time being.¡± Perhaps because of the heavy atmosphere, the doctor hurriedly packed his luggage. As if to prove that he wanted to avoid this situation so desperately, he left the room with a loud thump sound, which made the room become even more gloomy afterward. It was the Duke who broke the silence first. ¡°I¡¯ve sent money as an apology for Rere¡¯s behavior.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°To your house.¡± ¡°¡­Are you saying that if you sent settlement money, it will solve the matter? Moreover, it was sent to my house, not to me?¡± Duke Ian Petri¡¯s eyebrows moved in discomfort. ¡°Then what should I do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine as long as Rebecca apologizes.¡± The eyes of the two turned at Rebecca at the same time. The child, who dropped her gaze on the rabbit doll in her arms, turned her head in annoyance. ¡°Why should I apologize? I¡¯ve done nothing wrong!¡± Normal parents would have admitted their child¡¯s fault at this point and apologized, but the Duke was different. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve already expressed an apology to your house.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re going to leave it at that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to force my child. Moreover, an apology is supposed to come from the heart, don¡¯t you think? The child hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been watching the child¡¯s behavior. Since you keep saying that the child hasn¡¯t recovered, as a result, she became thinner and her personality got worse. You can¡¯t just leave it like this.¡± Although she was tall and a little chubby, Rebecca¡¯s body was like a dry tree branch. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be concerned about that. Because from now on, I¡¯ll be the one to manage the child¡¯s personality and how to treat her myself.¡± I knew this would happen. The Duke only defended the child. I knew she had been living with a terminal illness without the care of a mother, but this is too much. What¡¯s more, even after the incident with the nanny, his tendency to defend his child became even worse. During that incident, he actually showed a subtle change and took proper action regarding the child, but now I could not find that side of him anymore. I knew it was because of Rebecca, and currently, that child was blaming and hating me for what happened, but that alone won¡¯t stop me from speaking up. ¡°It¡¯s not good to just defend her like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. I¡¯ll take care of my child. From now on, I won¡¯t listen to your advice.¡± He was adamant about ignoring me. In the meantime, Rebecca giggled and moved past me, who was sitting on the sofa. ¡°Hmph. Rere wants to go out and play!¡± ¡°I see. You take a rest as well. If you have something to say, do it through the servants.¡± ¡°Pardon? Excuse me?!¡± Only my voice echoed in the room. I heard a thud once again, and there was more silence than before. Yeah, what can I expect? From a black-curtain father and villainess daughter? (T/N: Black Curtain is a term for a powerful figure in politics who exercises his power behind the scenes. It¡¯s a power behind the throne or you could say a king-maker.) They look very alike. Rather, Rebecca was a carbon copy of her father. Dirty and cheap humans, I¡¯m out of here. ¡®I was thinking about getting out anyway. Why do I even have such thoughts about changing her? I¡¯m excited, too! Now that I lost to his will¡­.I think this is a good result.¡¯ I felt sad for no reason. The child has become like that, but the Duke certainly didn¡¯t want to listen. That his own daughter was being abused. Nevertheless, he treated me as coldly as his gaze towards me. In the end, I clenched my fist as I was agonizing. ¡®I¡¯m going to be the palace maid. I¡¯m out of here.¡¯ My goal was to participate in the palace maid¡¯s recruitment that would be held in 15 days. ¡®There¡¯s a slight danger, but if I become the palace maid, I¡¯ll live without starving myself.¡¯ With that in mind, I rose from my seat. ¡°Let¡¯s at least try to get along with them during the rest of my stay here. It¡¯ll be safer to be here than to be sent back to my house.¡± It was obvious that my family would just send me back if I ever return. So, for the time being, I decided to pretend to get along well with the child and headed to the kitchen. *** A few days later. ¡°What is that, Ms. Leona?¡± May, who had come to pick me up, looked down at the box in my arms. ¡°I¡¯m trying to seduce the child.¡± ¡°Seduce?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see later. It¡¯s not Rebecca¡¯s dinner time yet, right?¡± ¡°Yes. But even if it is, she won¡¯t eat¡­¡± As if she was worried, May sighed deeply and nodded. I patted her shoulder and headed to Rebecca¡¯s room. Her reaction was just like what I expected. I walked into Rebecca¡¯s room with a tray full of meals, but the child pretended not to see me. ¡°You have to eat.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not going to eat. I¡¯m going to eat if you get out.¡± ¡°¡­If you eat properly, I¡¯ll give you a wonderful snack.¡± ¡°No! If you don¡¯t want to get hit by me again, don¡¯t force me!¡± Rere, with her puffed cheeks, buried herself among the dolls. A sigh came out of my mouth as I was watching the scene. The room was full of dolls. Somehow, I felt it was a lot more than last time. Maybe I was right. Previously, I could see the child among the piled-up dolls, but I couldn¡¯t do that anymore. The rabbit dolls, which were piled-up like a mountain, made the room feel stuffy. It was too much. I¡¯m going to have a nightmare watching those dolls. Perhaps he bought a lot of dolls because Rere liked them, but 200 rabbit dolls are too much. There might even be more than 200. After watching the scene for a while, I sighed deeply and began to eat alone. No matter how delicious the food smelled, Rebecca didn¡¯t move. She used to flinch, but she lost her appetite after the incident with the nanny. ¡°Bring the dessert.¡± As soon as the order was given, May brought in the dessert. ¡°The hammer, too.¡± ¡°Wo-Wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous? With that hand¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± The hesitant May carefully handed over the wooden hammer to me. Only then did Rebecca¡¯s gaze turn to me. ¡°You¡¯re trying to hit me!¡± ¡°With this?¡± ¡°Are you taking¡­revenge on me now?¡± Rebecca, who was sensitive to the word ¡®hammer¡¯, flared her nostrils. ¡°This one?¡± ¡°Yes! You¡¯re trying to hit me¡­! I¡¯ll tell my daddy right away!¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± The grumpy Rebecca stood up from her seat. But as if she was bewildered, she stepped on her skirt and almost fell down. The door was behind me anyway. The child had to pass me to get out. The child, who staggered as she walked, walked towards the door as far away as she could from me. Perhaps because she was feeling anxious, she started to threaten me. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare move¡­.! If so, I¡¯m going to throw it again!¡± As if I had finished waiting, I swung the hammer. To the plate in front of me, and the big cookie cracked. ¡°It¡¯s hard to break.¡± At my words, Rere stopped walking. ¡°Wh-What¡­.. Aren¡¯t you trying to hit me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Really? Th-Then what was that?!¡± As I put the broken pieces of the big cookie one by one in my mouth, Rebecca came closer to me. Rere¡¯s interest, which I couldn¡¯t have even if I wanted to, was easier to get than I thought. No, actually, Rebecca had been quite interested in me before. She just didn¡¯t want to admit it. As if she knew that the nanny couldn¡¯t return no matter how hard she begged, Rebecca kept her eyes on me the whole time. It was only after I got hurt that I actually felt a subtle change in Rebecca¡¯s behavior, perhaps because she felt sorry. And when I ate the cookies, Rebecca¡¯s eyes widened. I gently pushed Rebecca, who was approaching me. ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t going to eat?¡± ¡°What is that! Why are you eating it with a hammer? The snack will be hurt if you break it with a hammer!¡± ¡°I was hurt, too.¡± As if I had been waiting, I pointed at the small band-aid on my head. ¡°That¡¯s¡­not my fault¡­ that¡¯s why¡­give me that cookie.¡± ¡°Do you want it?¡± ¡°Unng!¡± As expected, the appearance of a snack that she never saw in her life was perfect to seduce Rebecca. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why!¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten.¡± ¡°¡­Darn it¡­¡± ¡°If you eat¡­maybe I¡¯ll give it to you?¡± I grinned as I chewed the snack on my hand. Rebecca, who smelled the strong sweet scent from the chocolate schneeballen, shook her head while looking at the table. ¡°Forget it! Nanny. Make me one of those, too.¡± ¡°¡­Aigoo, miss. We can¡¯t make things like that.¡± ¡°Why! Why can¡¯t you make it!¡± Because I made it. The snack was schneeballen, which is something that didn¡¯t exist in this world. There¡¯s no way they would know how much time I spent to make it. (T/N: Schneeballen is a traditional German pastry that you need to smash with a hammer before consuming.) ¡°That¡¯s made by Ms. Leona. Maybe she¡¯s the only one who can make it.¡± The nanny, who glanced at me, shook her head and acted more exaggeratedly. It was a well-known fact that Rebecca was so crazy about snacks that she doesn¡¯t eat anything except snacks all day long. So I tried this method, but it was easier than I thought. ¡°¡­.Darn it¡­give me my meal.¡± Finally, her words brightened the faces of the people in the room. Of course, it was a bonus that they looked at me with respect. Soon after, Rebecca, who had emptied one bowl of soup, slammed the bowl to the floor. ¡°I ate it all! Give it to me.¡± Her cute little hands tried to snatch my bowl in a rude manner. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I¡¯d give it to you.¡± I relaxedly pulled the bowl towards me. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said, maybe I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Rere¡¯s mouth pouted like a bird. ¡°You cheated me!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Darn it¡­ you¡¯ll regret it if you do this to me!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 11 Chapter 11 No. I won¡¯t. I won¡¯t let you have your way this time. Rebecca did not deviate from my expectations. When I didn¡¯t do what she wanted, Rebecca hurriedly got up from her seat as if she was going to tattle on her daddy. ¡°If you¡¯re going to tattle on your daddy, you won¡¯t be able to taste the snacks that I made. My next snack will be moist chocolate bread. The chocolate will rush out once you split it¡­¡± Upon hearing my words, the child jumped to the chair next to me. With her black hair and red eyes, just like a rabbit. Rere¡¯s puffed cheeks reflected her heart. It was obvious that she was upset. ¡°Give me that.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®give me that¡¯? You need to say please~¡± ¡°No. Why do I need to say please? I¡¯m a princess, and I¡¯m the owner here.¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t give it. If Rere says ¡®please¡¯ in a pretty voice, then I¡¯ll give it to you. I¡¯m sure you can do that.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± I grinned and stood up with the plate of schneeballen. ¡°Wa-Wait!¡± I made up my mind. Even if I had to go, I¡¯ll make you human at least once. Before I go, I¡¯ll definitely take a little revenge. ¡°I¡¯m annoyed! Give me! Give meeee!!!¡± As if she couldn¡¯t overcome her anger, Rere lashed out uncontrollably. At a time like this, it was the nanny and the maids who stepped up. After looking at us alternately, they bowed their heads to me as if they thought it would be faster to persuade me than to appease Rebecca. ¡°Madam, I¡¯m sorry¡­but can¡¯t you give that to the miss?¡± Eventually, the nanny and the maids stopped me from going out. ¡°I will never give it to her.¡± ¡°Aigoo¡­What if the miss catches a fever¡­¡± ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be growing up like that.¡± At the end of my sentence, I left the perplexed servants behind and went outside. Some of the cries of a child are fake. The cry that Rere was making right now was that fake cry. Eventually, she¡¯ll get tired on her own. At that time¡­ ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Just when I opened the door, I saw that Rere¡¯s father was guarding the door. ¡°Ah. It¡¯s you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with your reaction? More than that, the child seems to be crying inside.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Did you make the child cry?¡± ¡°How can I make the precious princess cry? I¡¯m just saying that if she doesn¡¯t eat, then I won¡¯t give her the snacks I made.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what the child wants¡­¡± It¡¯s not ¡®daughter¡¯s daddy¡¯ but it was foolish daddy. (T/L : ??? Daughter¡¯s daddy/ Fool for daughter. A term for a father/mother who adores his/her daughter way too much, and they¡¯re blinded by love to the point we call them a ¡®fool¡¯. But in this case, Leona calls him an actual ¡®fool¡¯ lol.) This time, he glared at me fiercely. As if saying that he won¡¯t let go of anyone who made his daughter cry. ¡°You want me to give it to her whenever she wants it? I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve never promised to give the child everything that I made.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± He stared at me for a moment because he had nothing else to say, and then entered the room. I had heaps of things to say, but I didn¡¯t have any intention of rectifying that foolish daddy. ¡®If you¡¯re raising a child like that, in the end, all of you will die. You¡¯ll get everyone killed.¡¯ (T/N: Referring to Rebecca growing up to be a cold-blooded villainess.) I clicked my tongue and immediately took my gaze away from them. Of course, I kept looking at them because I was worried, but I had to keep my mind firm. ¡®I¡¯m going to survive. Because I have no intention of becoming a victim and to be sacrificed in this novel.¡¯ Once again, I clenched my fists and turned around. I¡¯m also busy making snacks for dinner. Without anyone noticing, May and I arrived in an old kitchen that wasn¡¯t being used by anyone. ¡°It¡¯s fine to go back. You must have a lot to do, but I¡¯m grateful for your help.¡± ¡°No! I can stay here if you like!¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you have a lot to do?¡± ¡°All I have to do is to help you adapt to this place!¡± She smiled harmlessly and moved her steps into the kitchen. ¡°Thank you. Then you can stay with me, right?¡± May¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to hate me¡­¡± ¡°Of course! I felt a strong sense of loyalty to Ms. Leona, who sided with us on the first day.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± That was the cause of the maids¡¯ sudden change in attitude. ¡°The previous nanny used to send people to a strange place whenever she was unhappy with something. Nanny Daisy was sent to do the laundry just because she said the right thing.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°So I was actually happy. Because of you, she was kicked out!¡± May, who had been calling me ¡°Madam¡± every day since the nanny was changed, smiled more brightly than ever. ¡°Thank you, May.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± ¡°Then you can rest a little in the corner over there while I¡¯m making the chocolate. You must be tired.¡± ¡°Ah! They said this is called skipping!¡± After smiling brightly, May comfortably sat in a chair on the corner of the old kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m going to skip work here since you gave me permission!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Perhaps because she was tired, not long after that, May began to doze off. In case I might wake her up, I moved carefully and made chocolate fondant until night came. Chocolate fondant was usually served in an ordinary bowl, but in order for Rere to fall in love at first glance, it had to be in a big and perfect chocolate bread. So I grumbled for a while because I couldn¡¯t use a meter here. Fortunately, the dessert was finished at dusk. In the morning, I headed to the child¡¯s room. As expected, Rebecca was not eating because there were many maids in front of her. But the situation looked quite different from before. Covering their mouth with their hands, I could tell that the maids were smiling. ¡°Madam!¡± At someone¡¯s word, the maids in the room turned their eyes to me. What could it be? It¡¯s quite burdensome. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Oh my god! The miss has eaten! She ate the whole bowl!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± That was not what I wanted. I wanted Rere not to eat this time. So I rushed into the room. It was true that I saw Rere eating diligently at the place where I was sitting yesterday. ¡°Huh?¡± But as soon as she realized I was here, she jumped off the table. ¡°I¡¯m done eating.¡± ¡°Miss, didn¡¯t you say you were going to eat more?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know anymore. I don¡¯t want to eat.¡± The child, who glanced at me, suddenly burrowed herself into the rabbit dolls. ¡°Please eat a little more¡­¡± The nanny looked at me regretfully and turned to Rere again. I wasn¡¯t hoping for this. It was as if my presence had interrupted the child¡¯s meal. ¡°Rere, you-¡± When I was about to say I would give her chocolate because she ate, Rere, who was swiveling among the rabbits, suddenly popped out and put her doll on the chair where she was sitting before. ¡°This.¡± ¡°What is this? A rabbit doll?¡± ¡°¡­The rabbit doll has something to say. Look.¡± Rere, who forcibly gave me a rabbit carrying a bag the size of its body, walked back one step after murmuring. What kind of trouble are you going to create this time? With that thought, I fiddled the inside of the rabbit¡¯s bag and found something in it. ¡°What is it?¡± There was a paper inside, when I opened it there was something written on it. ¡°Sorry?¡± That one word. And when I said that, Rere screamed with a flushed face. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was sorry! The rabbit! It¡¯s the rabbit!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Also¡­I don¡¯t like choco!¡± The child, who was making the confession all by herself, clearly stared at me. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault! Honestly, it¡¯s also your fault. I like my nanny but you kicked her out. That¡¯s why I did it!¡± Was it possible for the child to change so much in just half a day? I couldn¡¯t believe she said sorry. Were you trying to fool around with me, or were you trying to hurt me by saying this? At the time when I had all kinds of thoughts, Rere broke the silence. ¡°I don¡¯t like choco. That¡¯s why, Auntie, you eat that!¡± I wanted to say ¡®What¡¯s wrong with you?¡¯ but because of what happened, I just spoke thoughtlessly. ¡°¡­So I¡¯m an auntie.¡± ¡°¡­If I call you mom¡­you¡¯ll leave¡­so I¡¯ll call you auntie.¡± Her words weighed heavily on my heart. I had to say something else, but I continued standing still for a long time because I was dazed by her sad eyes that I had never seen before. ¡°You¡¯re leaving, aren¡¯t you? My nanny left in the end. Because of auntie. You did that so you can leave.¡± I wanted to say that I won¡¯t leave, but I already had the intention to leave. As if I had eaten honey, I was speechless. (T/N: Korean proverb for people who cannot speak what¡¯s on their minds.) After a long time, the child pulled my hem towards her. ¡°¡­Auntie.¡± The child¡¯s tiny hand grabbed my hem. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re different, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re different. That¡¯s why you said those things because you were worried about me. Huh?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Because you were different¡­if I call you mom¡­you won¡¯t leave, right¡­?¡± No. I can¡¯t be your mother. Because in this novel, you¡¯re going to hurt me badly. I had to say those words, but I couldn¡¯t bear to say it to the child who looked at me with her big eyes. ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Mom. I¡¯ll call you mom. I¡¯ll eat well and listen to you¡­that¡¯s why¡­don¡¯t leave. Daddy¡­and auntie will leave¡­that¡¯s why I became a bad child¡­..Don¡¯t go¡­¡± When such words came out of Rere¡¯s mouth, I felt an unknown feeling. It seemed like a good person¡¯s disease that I had long forgotten resurfaced. I couldn¡¯t be so cold-hearted to a child whose eyes shine towards me. Because I saw the nature of the child whose heart was more fragile than anyone else. I decided to escape my fate in a different way. If possible, I¡¯ll take a round-about way. ¡°Okay, Rere. I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll be your mom.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief¡­¡± Only after hearing that one word did Rere smile broadly, and soon tumbled. ¡°Miss!¡± The nanny and maids, who had stood back as if not to disturb us, rushed in. Unconsciously, I held the falling Rere and hurriedly carried her. ¡°Rere, Rere. What¡¯s wrong with you!¡± The child¡¯s body was burning hot as if it were a stove. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 ¡°Coldwater¡­Bring cold water and call the doctor. Now!¡± ¡°Pardon? Yes!¡± I massaged Rere¡¯s body that was lying helplessly on the bed. Rere¡¯s body was so hot as if I touched a stove. In the meantime, a cold wet towel was placed next to me. ¡°Oh my god, Rere. What¡¯s wrong with you¡­.¡± The child¡¯s last word stayed in my mind. She begged me to become her mom because she does well. In fact, it was my first time seeing Rere collapse, so I couldn¡¯t do anything but wipe her body with a cold towel. You pretended to be cool and ended up like this. My heart ached because I felt sorry. If I had known this would happen, I would have told you earlier. I won¡¯t leave you. ¡°Doctor! Doctor!¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be here soon.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter even if it¡¯s emergency medicine. Isn¡¯t there any medicine that the child used to take? Don¡¯t you have anything like that?¡± It was then. ¡°Mom¡­is worried¡­about Rere¡­¡± ¡°Rere, hang in there, will you?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Her small voice was exceptionally clear. That little voice created the ultimate reason for me to protect the child. What¡¯s funny is that I was determined to escape from here day and night, but my determination broke down like a sandcastle at the words of the child. The memory of myself being abused. Perhaps because of the memory of my childhood, when no one cared about me, my heart shook more strongly. ¡®That¡¯s right. She¡¯s not a bad kid. So maybe she can change.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll change you. Your future¡­¡± At that time, The door opened with a loud thud. ¡°Did she fall down again?¡± The doctor, who treated my wounded head a few days ago, rushed in with a ghastly pale face. As if it was a familiar situation to him, he took out something from his bag and quickly mixed up this and that, then without hesitation, he put some of the medicine into Rere¡¯s mouth. ¡°My goodness. I thought you were okay these days.¡± ¡°¡­Is she okay?¡± The doctor, who was watching Rere for a long time, belatedly took out his handkerchief and wiped his sweat. ¡°I have no answer to your question. The princess¡¯ body is not well. It¡¯s just the same pattern, so I¡¯m simply giving her a prescription of medicine to alleviate her fever.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything like an emergency medicine?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t give her emergency medicine because I have to examine it every time and manufacture it according to the circumstances. Because sometimes she has seizures, whereas sometimes she suffers from high fever¡­¡± ¡°If we give her the wrong medicine, it¡¯ll be a big problem.¡± Once I heard his explanation, I nodded my head. Even though I knew Rebecca¡¯s body was not in good health, at least I want to clutch onto hope. It was when I was about to ask whether any method would have the same result, a person came in again through the open door. The Duke, who entered the room with a pale face, quickly sat down in front of Rere. His trembling hands were tidying up Rere¡¯s disheveled hair. ¡°Aah¡­Rere!¡± ¡°She¡¯s only sleeping. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°¡­Why did this happen? She was fine for a while!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯m also¡­¡± At that time, the eyes of the two people turned to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know, either. The child¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not madam¡¯s fault. Miss Rebecca did not get upset with madam!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The miss was looking forward to seeing madam!¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely not madam¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°It was none other than madam who was carrying the miss.¡± One by one, the nanny and the maids were busy taking my side. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the other stepmothers, but none of them was as caring as madam!¡± But it irritated him more. ¡°¡­All of you. What do you expect me to do?¡± At his words, the atmosphere became as cold as ice. ¡°Are you asking me to thank this woman just because I should be impressed with that fact?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s not it¡­.¡± He¡¯s not a black curtain, he¡¯s just a villain. A villain with a very twisted personality. ¡°Begone. I don¡¯t want to see you.¡± Only then did the chattering nanny and maids bowed their heads with sad eyes. This bastard was irrevocable. Rere was much better. In the meantime, even the doctor, who was supposed to stay, decided to go out. Using the reason that Rere¡¯s fever had gone down. As a result, only the sound of the door closing was heard in the room. ¡°I need you to explain it. How did this happen? Or are you trying to hide behind their words?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to do that. And they were right. There was no reason as to why Rere suddenly collapsed.¡± ¡°So there was no reason?¡± He stood up from his seat and looked down at me. ¡°Because you were here. Rere has never been this sick except for that one time when her first stepmother left.¡± He only glared at me with resentment. ¡°¡­So you blame me for this?¡± ¡°Yes. The nanny incident, too. Nothing went well because I trusted you.¡± ¡°Ha. So it¡¯s my fault after all. If I hadn¡¯t done that, the child would have still been abused by that monster woman!¡± But he didn¡¯t listen to me. ¡°I don¡¯t need that. Yes, what the nanny said before leaving was right.¡± ¡°What did she say? What did she say about me?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. She¡¯s the woman who knew the child better than anyone else.¡± Seriously. If there was one thing I wish to do so badly right now, it would be to hit that bastard¡¯s narrow-minded head so hard. ¡°You¡¯re really the worst.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t care what criticism I get from you. I¡¯m trying to watch your behavior, but now, there¡¯s no need for me to watch. I thought you were a little different when I saw that you didn¡¯t get angry at the child last time, but I don¡¯t need someone who¡¯s giving my child a hard time.¡± Even in the novel, I knew well that he cared a lot for his daughter, Rere, but this was too much. ¡°Last time you made my child cry, I don¡¯t like it. So leave.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to make me talk twice?¡± What was the point of being handsome? What was so great about the black curtain? When you¡¯re that unlucky. And I¡¯m in a position to get out of this place in the words of that bastard. All I could do now was to ask for a little bit of time. ¡°I understand. For the reason that you are the father of the child and the owner of this dukedom, I¡¯ll heed your order. Instead, let me part ways with the child properly.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t understand his feelings. For Duke Ian, I¡¯m the one who made his child sick. The same goes for the nanny incident. But still, this wasn¡¯t right. I¡¯m so angry, but I couldn¡¯t do anything other than clench my fist. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll leave first then.¡± There was no answer. As I came out of the room where Rebecca was lying sick, I looked back mindlessly and lowered my head. ¡®You decided to leave already, so let¡¯s not worry about it.¡¯ Hundreds of curses popped out from my mind, but I tried hard to pull myself together and went back to my room. *** A few more days passed. Rere woke up, but she couldn¡¯t get out of bed easily because of the after effects. Due to that, I had a little time extension, but I knew that there was not much time left. He twisted his face like a madman every time he faced me. Ignoring him, I sat in front of Rere today. ¡°Rere. Is there anything you want to eat?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t want to eat anything!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to eat?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not delicious!¡± ¡°¡­You can¡¯t say such a thing easily. If you do that, the chef will change.¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of my business!¡± She still had her nasty temper. I¡¯m not angry at all though. ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯re not going to eat?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Mom, what are you doing?¡± Rere, who was lying on the bed and sulking, hurriedly got up from her seat. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°This is a chocolate fondant. You haven¡¯t tried it yet, right?¡± ¡°Are you really giving it to me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡­going to thank you!¡± ¡°Sure. You don¡¯t have to thank me. Just eat it deliciously.¡± Rere, who would normally refute what I said, looked down at the bowl on her lap without saying a word. ¡°¡­Are you not saying anything because I was sick?¡± Perhaps because of her memory of being thrown out by somebody else, Rere was still suspicious. ¡°No. Just¡­because I was sorry.¡± ¡°Sorry? Why?¡± ¡°Just because. Although you eat so deliciously like this now, it does not change the fact that I was so mean towards you and didn¡¯t let you eat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s awwright! As long as you do it from now on, Rere will forgive you!¡± It was when I was about to nod my head at the child who smiled shyly¡­ As if he didn¡¯t know courtesy, the Duke entered the room with a sharp voice. ¡°You haven¡¯t gone out yet?¡± As soon as the duke came in, he dug right between us. ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Worthless thing.¡± As if trying to get rid of the child¡¯s good memories, the Duke took the bowl with the chocolate fondant on it. ¡°Do you want to stay by doing stuff like this now?¡± ¡°Daddy? What¡¯s wrong? Why take it away! It¡¯s mine!¡± ¡°Rere. This person will leave. She said that she will leave herself.¡± He was trying to paint me into a bad person. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your sake, Rere.¡± ¡°No. Mom won¡¯t do that¡­.!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t like her from the start. You didn¡¯t like her either, right? Rere?¡± ¡°No. No. I don¡¯t hate her anymore. Mom is my mom! It¡¯s Rere¡¯s mom!¡± But the Duke acted decisively. As if that was not enough, he was blocking Rere¡¯s way. ¡°Leave, right now.¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t go. Mom, are you abandoning me, too?¡± ¡°Yes. She¡¯s abandoning you, too. So don¡¯t think about her. Instead, this mother will love you¡­.¡± ¡°Are you going to throw me away¡­? You said you¡¯re going to be my mom! Mom said you¡¯re going to stay!¡± ¡°Stop it, Rere. I brought your real mother. Come in.¡± As if she had waited for this occasion, a woman entered with a bright smile. ¡°Hello, Rere. Starting today, I¡¯m going to be Rere¡¯s mom.¡± Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°¡­.¡± As if to block me from Rere, that woman tried to stand in front of me to hide my presence. Due to that, I couldn¡¯t see Rere anymore. I didn¡¯t want to part ways like this, and I still wanted to make good memories. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s trying to make me leave without regrets. It might be better to leave heartlessly.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s right, Rere. I said I was leaving. So take care. I hope you¡¯ll be healthy.¡± Let¡¯s not look back. She was the villainess of the black curtain family anyway. There was nothing I could do. I¡¯ve already decided to go and I couldn¡¯t change the Duke¡¯s mind. I was about to get out without looking back. My hand already held the doorknob. It was then. ¡°No! Mom Leona is the only mom I have!¡± Rere, who was lying in bed, got up and rushed to me. ¡°Rere!¡± The Duke, who couldn¡¯t stop her sudden action, tried to come in haste, but the child had already arrived behind me. ¡°Mom¡­Mom! Are you going to abandon Rere, too?¡± The child¡¯s eyes, which had become red, and her cheek, which had become slimmer because she was sick for a few days, broke my firm heart. As if I¡¯m looking at my past self, my unyielding heart broke along with the child¡¯s tears. I held the child in my arms and glared at the Duke. I made up my mind. I¡¯ll scream even if he said I change my mind easily like flipping the palm of my hand. I¡¯m not leaving. ¡°No! I¡¯m not leaving. That¡¯s right! You¡¯re mistaken! I¡¯m going to save the child. I¡¯ll save you, too. And this family! So from now on, listen to what I¡¯ll say!¡± That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll change it. The future. I clenched my fist with the child in my arms. ¡°Ha. What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what you think you¡¯re doing. Daddy, listen to what mom said!¡± ¡°You two¡­!¡± But the Duke came close as if he was trying to take the child away. But Rere stood in front of me and glared at him. ¡°If you bother mom¡­I¡¯ll lie down here!¡± He snorted at the discrimination of the child that he had never faced before. ¡°Rere. Are you rejecting your daddy?¡± ¡°Hnng! I like mom!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because mom¡­! Gave me chocolate!¡± Was it because of that? ¡°I like a mom who gives me choco!¡± Rere, who was rubbing her soft cheeks on the hem of my dress, smiled broadly and raised her head. For a moment, I was speechless and looked down at the child. Then I saw the bright eyes that seemed to contain the universe. ¡®Yeah, whatever it is. As long as you like it.¡¯ I¡¯m sure that wasn¡¯t the only reason. Within a few days after she got sick, she smiled sweetly at me as if she became someone else. ¡®I don¡¯t know if she will change once she recovers, but¡­this is just the way the child catches people¡¯s heart.¡¯ When the child, who hated me so much, looked for me after being sick, it pulled the strings in my heart. ¡°Look. Look at me. Mom, you¡¯re actually like Rere, aren¡¯t you?¡± But before I could answer, the Duke approached and reached out to the child. His hand wasn¡¯t friendly at all, so my arm instinctively knocked it out. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t leave. I will definitely save the child.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh. You must leave.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°As you wish, I will force you to go out.¡± Such an unlucky guy. I want to beat this rotten bastard so bad. The more he tried to force me out, the tighter I hugged the child. ¡°I¡¯m never going out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny. It¡¯s not up to you to choose. If you don¡¯t go¡­¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± When he tried to use all kinds of methods to kick me out, Rere glared at him with a very angry face. ¡°Stay still, Rere. This is a problem between adults.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going to talk! It¡¯s not because mom wanted to leave, but it¡¯s because daddy told mom to leave, isn¡¯t it?¡± At her words, the Duke choked. ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± After mumbling for a long time, he waved his hand awkwardly. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you say anything! Did you really do it? Yet you told me that mom wanted to leave!¡± When I saw the face of the arrogant man harden, I felt refreshed for some reason. To the point that I cheered for Rere, who had been bothering me every day. ¡°Answer! Did you eat honey!? Why are you so tight-lipped? Daddy!¡± The child continuously sprayed cider. (T/N: Cider = if someone says something straightforward that other people usually cannot say) As expected, the Duke, who did not even listen to me, sighed deeply and stretched his arm to Rere. Of course, he was rejected by the child right away. ¡°¡­Rere, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Just where did you try to hug me?! Do you think I will feel better if you do that? Daddy! I¡¯m really disappointed.¡± ¡°¡­Rere.¡± ¡°Darn it¡­if you kick my mom out, I won¡¯t see you again!¡± There was a long standoff between the two. In the meantime, I felt the child¡¯s cheeks on me again. ¡°No. I don¡¯t want my favorite mom to leave¡­I hate it!¡± It was not until he heard those words that the Duke took a step back. ¡°I understand, Rere. Calm down. What if you fall sick again?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh. You¡¯re going to kick mom out!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. So calm down.¡± ¡°Really? Do you promise? Huh!?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Only then did Rere slip down and fall to the floor. ¡°Rere!¡± I squatted down in surprise, and Rere stretched her arms to me. ¡°Mom, put me in bed! I¡¯m having a hard time because of my dad.¡± The child¡¯s rough breathing showed how bad her body condition was. I lifted up the child at once. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll lay you down. Let¡¯s go to the bed.¡± Nobody stopped me this time. Rere, whose body was rather light despite being taller than her peers, leaned her head on my chest. In the meantime, the child hugged me tightly as if she didn¡¯t want to fall. It wasn¡¯t until she was laid down in bed that Rere fell asleep while panting. ¡°¡­Leave the child to the nanny and come out with me.¡± As I brushed the child¡¯s head, I had no choice but to follow him out of the room at his stern words. The angry duke was ahead, followed by the woman he brought. As soon as I got out of the room, his angry voice struck me. ¡°Good for you. You¡¯re the first one who was able to take my daughter¡¯s heart like that.¡± ¡°I appreciate your sarcasm. I didn¡¯t know you were such a stingy person.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is this what you mean by doing what the child wants? Don¡¯t do this anymore. Instead, do what the child really wants.¡± He¡¯s the man that I hated from the start. Thoughtlessly bringing me in to become the child¡¯s mother and spoiling the child as a form of love. And even threw the blame on me for making things difficult for Rere. I promised once again that I would never choose that man even If I died and was born again. ¡®What¡¯s the point of being handsome? When you¡¯re so unlucky.¡¯ I glared at him with my nose wide open. Perhaps he realized he was unable to communicate with me anymore, so he only made eye contact while pouting his lips. ¡°Her heart won¡¯t last long anyway. She easily gets tired of things.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Leave while I¡¯m being nice. The moment the child hates you, you¡¯ll regret not leaving now.¡± ¡°Are you worried? Or are you threatening me?¡± There was no answer to that. Instead, his red eyes glistened. As if I could see the madness in him, there was a clear intention in his gaze. The intention of killing me. However, the caterpillar wriggled stronger when it was stepped on. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. The more you ask me to leave, the more I¡¯ll stay right here.¡± The moment I saw the child¡¯s sincerity, I was reminded of my past. If I abandon this child, I¡¯d feel like I¡¯m abandoning myself. ¡°¡­Do as you please.¡± Duke Ian Petri, who had been watching me, sighed deeply and shook his head as if I was pathetic. ¡°You¡¯ll regret it eventually,¡± he said, before moving away from me. I looked at him for a long time in case he would come back and speak nonsense again before I turned my back. Even though he was Rere¡¯s father, I¡¯m glad he doesn¡¯t come to see Rere often. ¡®Unlucky bastard. I need to go get some salt. I¡¯m going to sprinkle it to the place he left off.¡¯ But my days of suffering did not end there. Now, as I was about to go to Rere with thoughts that it was finally over, the woman, who appeared to be the new mother, made eye contact with me. ¡°Stupid.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about you. Stupid wench.¡± It was a very different side of what she showed to the child. The woman, who appeared out of nowhere, suddenly glared at me haughtily. ¡°¡­I wonder what you mean by that?¡± ¡°What I mean? I merely pitied such a stupid human being.¡± The woman wrinkled her nose, laughed, and turned away from me after she spat out what she had to say. Well, there are women like that. ¡°Ha. Excuse me. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s only appropriate to introduce yourself first?¡± ¡°The moment I introduce myself, you¡¯ll want to cry at how insignificant your family was.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you both are the perfect pair of cockroaches. You both look great together. Arrogant and¡­¡± Unlucky. The end was blurred because it was impossible to say that to a woman who looked like a noble lady. The woman frowned and snorted. ¡°What¡¯s a cockroach?¡± Ah! There¡¯s no such thing as a cockroach here, or maybe it had a different name. Well, there was no way a daughter of a noble family would know about cockroaches anyway. ¡°It was used to describe a couple like you and that man.¡± ¡°Are you cursing at me now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It depends on how people perceive it, but it can¡¯t be a curse. It seems like you¡¯ll be here from today onwards, so let¡¯s get closer, Ms. Unwanted Mother.¡± It¡¯s my turn to leave this spot. The way to my room was where the duke went, so I was forced to follow him and went to the other side. I had a safe trip, but I ended up wandering around the castle before I was finally able to come back to my room. ¡°Ha. From now on, I have to learn how to get around without May.¡± A small commitment was also made. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Evening, that day. I barely made it to my room, washed up, and was unable to sleep for a long time. The appearance of Rere that I saw today kept pricking my heart. ¡®I want to do something for her. Should I just be frank with my feelings?¡¯ How should I change the child? Based on the numerous children that I¡¯ve seen so far, all I can do for the child was to wait patiently. The words ¡®I believe in you¡¯ or ¡®I will wait for you to change¡¯ didn¡¯t and won¡¯t work for a wounded child. I looked out the window quietly, knowing that it would be useless trying to pluck out the wounds stemmed from various complex sources. Before I came here, there was no adult who was close to me. A child born to a single mother. Even that single mother disappeared without a trace as soon as she gave birth to me. The child who couldn¡¯t even register her birth because no one came to look for her after staying at the hospital for the whole month was me. I was unaware of this story when I was young. One day, I was suddenly curious about my parents, so I followed the head of the orphanage and asked her. She was rummaging through the documents roughly with an annoyed expression. She told me the truth that may or may not be true. I never had a family since I was born. The people in the orphanage were my family, and no one cared about me as they had so many children. Even the head of the orphanage overworked me to take care of the children as if I¡¯m an employee. There was nothing going on in my everyday life except when I went to school. From newborns to children who graduated from the orphanage, I overworked myself every day as if I were born to take care of them. I went through many sleepless nights, but the adults were feigning ignorance because they knew that if I took a day off, they would have a hard time. ¡®And then I was adopted.¡¯ I¡¯m not sure if it was a decision made on a whim, or if it¡¯s due to somebody¡¯s pressure, but I had a normal family. It was even an economically affluent house. But my parents, who adopted my 15-year-old self, only viewed me as their child¡¯s nanny. I wish it would just stop there, but I had to do all the housework and as well as clean up after their 13-year-old child. The child of that house habitually stole his mother¡¯s money, and I had to take all the blame for stealing instead of him. Filthy blood and inevitable abusive words tormented me. I was hit in the head and beaten all over my body to the point where I couldn¡¯t lie down. But even in that life, there were some good things that happened. After staying there for 3 years, I learned how to bake and draw. If I stayed in the orphanage, I would have never learned such things. ¡®It¡¯s funny to compare Rere and I like that¡­¡¯ I said Rere was like a reflection of my childhood days, but Rere¡¯s situation was completely different from mine. But the image of my younger self, who kneeled and begged my adoptive parents each time they said ¡®Just where did I adopt this beggar kid from?!¡¯ because I was scared of being abandoned, was overlapping with Rere¡¯s image now. ¡®I don¡¯t need anything else, I just want you to stay by my side. I hope you don¡¯t throw me away.¡¯ So I clasped both of my hands tightly and headed to the kitchen. *** The next morning. I walked to Rere¡¯s room with May, who had come to fetch me on time as usual. While I was thinking about what we should play today, or should we make chocolate together if she was healthy enough, I arrived in front of her room. ¡°Oh my. We meet again.¡± It was the woman that the Duke had brought as the child¡¯s new stepmother. ¡°Have you been looking for the child since early this morning? No, before that, are you still yearning for the mother position? Ms. Nameless Cockroach?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s going to lose this position. Don¡¯t you think it matches well with someone who has noble blood like me? The Duchess position, I mean. Now, open the door.¡± The woman, who looked at me up and down as if I looked funny, went in at once. The woman¡¯s chattering did not stop while she was entering the room. ¡°You want to beat me, but what can you do? There¡¯s nothing good about you. You look ridiculous as you walk around in those clothes. Did you say a cockroach? Isn¡¯t that a vulgar word that only slaves say? Hoho.¡± Her clothes were clearly different from mine. All kinds of jewels were attached to her skirt that was made of high-quality material. There was even a large ribbon attached to the top of her dress, which made it look countrified. ¡®Are you saying that¡¯s beautiful?¡¯ Well, it was better than the dress I wore, but it¡¯s not practical at all. I stared at her for a moment and tried to move my feet to get inside. However, the maids of that woman prevented me from coming in for a long time. But that couldn¡¯t stop me from entering. Just like a worm that wriggled when someone stepped on it, I went inside with no trouble. During the scuffle that happened in front of the door, that woman clung close to Rere. ¡°Hi, Rere. It¡¯s your mom.¡± ¡°Such an ugly auntie can¡¯t be my mom.¡± ¡°Did you say I¡¯m ugly? You shouldn¡¯t say that. That¡¯s a bad word. That¡­¡± ¡°¡­Stupid.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What did you put on your face? It smells. To be exact, it smells like poop.¡± ¡°What do you mean by it smells? It¡¯s just¡­ the scent of perfume.¡± The embarrassed woman was busy fanning herself. ¡°A chunk of poop.¡± ¡°¡­You. In the end, I¡¯m going to be your mom. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ll regret doing this to me? What if you get hit? Then it¡¯ll hurt a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared. Stupid poop.¡± ¡°¡­Seriously. How can a child, who is called a princess, have such a bad habit.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put an end to your attitude today. Your daddy said I could do whatever I wanted from now on.¡± Only then did Rere shift her gaze from the rabbit and met that woman¡¯s eyes. As if it was a sign, the woman¡¯s maid hurriedly handed out something in front of Rere. All kinds of chocolates. Some had luxurious packaging, whereas others were shaped like animals. It was an assortment of chocolates that were so pretty and was enough to infatuate me, even as an adult. It wasn¡¯t until I saw what I had stuffed in my pocket that I realized. There was a huge difference between what I had made earnestly for Rere and that woman¡¯s chocolates, which were scattered all over the floor. To the point that I was embarrassed. Mine was bad. Rere¡¯s eyes were on me for a moment. But that woman blocked my view again. ¡°You have to listen to your mom. Look. Your mom brought you some chocolate.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Listen to me if you want to eat.¡± As Rere only stared at the chocolate wordlessly, she lifted her chin and laid her eyes on Rere. ¡°If you¡¯ve come to your senses, get up and apologize to me.¡± Now her eyes turned to me. I could feel her obvious sarcastic eyes as if saying that this much was nothing for her. I snorted at her attitude. Sure enough. Let¡¯s see if you could handle that kind of child. ¡°These are chunks of poop brought by a stupid poop.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­Are you telling me to get lost?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­Ha. Do you know who I am!¡± ¡°I know. A chunk of poop.¡± Rere didn¡¯t even look at her as she was busy playing with her dolls. ¡°¡­You¡¯ll come to your senses only if you¡¯re hit, right?¡± Only then did Rere¡¯s uncomfortable gaze reach her again. ¡°Are you going to hit me?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right. Princess Rebecca of Petri Dukedom is a very spoiled child. You were out of your mind. An ill-mannered child must be taught a lesson. As a parent, I have to punish my child so they will grow up properly.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not my mom.¡± ¡°I¡¯m your mother. Your third mother. The document says I¡¯m your third mother. That stupid woman back there couldn¡¯t even put up her name.¡± For a moment, the woman turned her head and looked at me. ¡°Slow-witted people like you must not know. You must have believed that you were the third mother. The document was annulled by the duke even before it was officially filed. Tsk.¡± That¡¯s why she was so brazen. I never imagined that would happen. As I was surprised by her unexpected words, the woman kept chattering. ¡°Get yourself together. Princess, that woman is not your mom. I¡¯m your real mom, even if you don¡¯t like it. So bring in the stick.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Your father told me to take care of you.¡± At that moment, a thought came to my mind. ¡®The third mother listed on the document? Rebecca¡¯s third mother was severely hurt. I don¡¯t even know her name.¡¯ The woman who gets severely hurt by Rebecca. That¡­can¡¯t be. I¡¯m the third one in order, but according to what she said, I was no longer the third one, was I? I couldn¡¯t believe he annulled the document. Clearly, the first document written by the Duke and Leona was about marriage registration. Leona didn¡¯t know anything and wrote the document under the pressure of her family. I certainly remembered her memory. At that time. The woman who kept talking nonsense pulled Rere¡¯s arm roughly. ¡°Come here!¡± Instinctively, my body jumped out like a rubber ball and held her hand violently. ¡°Argh! Why are you holding me! Do you want to get hit? You¡¯re a fake mother! How dare you touch me?! What the hell are you doing!¡± She said with a sharp glare at me. ¡°What about you? What are you doing to a child? Are you taking out your anger on her?¡± ¡°Shut up. How dare a wench like you touch my body!¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s so great about you that you lay your hand on a mere 5-year-old?¡± But what I said didn¡¯t work on her. ¡°I¡¯m her mother. It¡¯s only natural for parents to lead their children to the right path. How dare you try to teach me with that mouth of yours! Get the hell out here before I rip your mouth apart. Maids, what are you doing? Get this wench out of here right now.¡± I was about to be dragged by her maids that were much more numerous than before. But the moment I let go of this woman¡¯s hand right here, it was obvious that the child would be abused. I grabbed her with all my might. ¡°I won¡¯t let go.¡± ¡°Arggh! It hurts!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let go even if I break your hand.¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 ¡°Let go! It hurts!¡± The woman¡¯s scream made the ghastly pale maids rush in to help, but I didn¡¯t let go of her hand. No, the more others tried to pull my hand off, the harder I squeezed her hand. In the end, the woman, who was squirming in pain, screamed. ¡°Gyaah! Everybody, back off! Stop it! Don¡¯t pull this wench!¡± ¡°Yes? Yes, ma¡¯am¡­¡± The frightened maids quickly let go of their grip one by one. As soon as the last person moved away from me, I released my hand. Then I sat down and held Rere in my arms. The woman glared at me with red eyes as if her arm that I held had hurt quite a bit. ¡°You¡­How dare you hurt me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying that you should speak the right words even if you have a crooked mouth. You¡¯re not hurt. I only held it tight.¡± (T/N : An expression used to advise that one should be frank or tell the truth in any circumstance) ¡°Look at my hand. It¡¯s red! How dare you hurt my noble body?¡± ¡°Why are you bothering the child in the first place! It wouldn¡¯t have happened if you hadn¡¯t touched her.¡± ¡°Ha. This crazy woman. I haven¡¯t touched her yet!¡± The woman, who was huffing, looked straight at me with an angry look. When I found a reason to get away, the woman screamed, telling her maids to grab me. Seeing that made it clear what the current situation was like. ¡°You said you got her father¡¯s permission, however, it doesn¡¯t seem to be true though¡­?¡± ¡°¡­No? I didn¡¯t actually hit her, did I? I was just trying to teach a spoiled child some manners. And I think the Duke would like it, wouldn¡¯t he? What if I could lead the child to the right path and turn her into a good child? That¡¯s why, Princess, just listen to what I say. If you want to be loved by your daddy!¡± I had no idea where she got her confidence from, but she tried to straighten her distorted face, kicked the chocolates scattered on the floor with her feet, and approached us. ¡°How long do you think this woman will protect you?¡± Rere, who was in my arms, snorted and glared at her. ¡°Even without my mom¡¯s protection, Rere wouldn¡¯t lose to a poop! Poppie head!¡± The word naturally made me lay my eyes on her head. Dark brown hair. There was nothing special about it, but as if to show that she grew up preciously, her face was stiffened by the word ¡°poop¡±. Only then could I understand why Rere was saying ¡®Poop¡¯ every time she saw her. Even today, her hairstyle particularly looked like poop. A very well-draped poop. ¡°Pfft.¡± I burst into laughter. ¡°¡­Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°You really do look like a poop.¡± ¡°You wench, how dare¡­.how dare you say that to me! Towards the Astra of Arvida Dukedom!¡± ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re a princess. And your name is Astra.¡± It was hard to call her by her name because she didn¡¯t tell me any information about her last time. Come to think of it, I think her name was quite familiar in Leona¡¯s memory. Which family was it? There were three dukedoms in this empire. One of them was Petri Dukedom and the other must be this woman¡¯s family. Her family name did not exist in Leona¡¯s head because she was busy living her own world and was not interested in other families¡¯ affairs. ¡®Was it Arvada, or Arvida¡­?¡¯ The name that I was about to remember sank quickly because of the woman who yelled at me. ¡°What? How dare you¡­.arrogant wench! Now that I see it, you¡¯re going too far! I¡¯ll give you a hell of a beating right here!¡± Unable to overcome her temper, she rushed at me as if she would hit me right away. At that time, she was caught red-handed by the duke who came into the room at a terrific timing. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Only then did Astra hurriedly turn around as if she had figured out the situation. Her face, which was full of evil and contempt, soon turned into an angel¡¯s. Not only that, she burst into his arms with tearful eyes. ¡°Hnggg!¡± ¡°Why are you crying? Explain what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Nothing.¡± The woman, who completely turned into a victim, shook her head with a sniffle. Her figure looked sorrowful. I watched the pair of cockroaches for a long time with Rere still in my arms. At that time. The duke¡¯s face hardened as he looked down at Astra in his arms. I could see that he clearly made an annoyed expression as if she was a mosquito flying around him. I¡¯m sure she was the woman that he brought in, but the way he looked at her wasn¡¯t much better than when he looked at me. Eventually, the duke, who couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, grabbed her shoulder and slightly pushed her away. ¡°Won¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°If the duke wants me to speak¡­I have no right to refuse, right¡­?¡± She turned slightly and stared at me. The duke wouldn¡¯t be able to see her, but I could see the face of Princess Astra smiling as if she was the winner. ¡°Princess.¡± ¡°I¡­feel so wronged. Duke, why should I go through this? I¡­I was just trying to do my job as a mother well.¡± ¡­They were truly the perfect pair of cockroaches. I looked at her trembling shoulder without a word. ¡°Instead of the princess who was unable to speak¡­I will explain it¡­properly.¡± The duke, whose eyes glistened more fiercely than yesterday, glared at me. The red eyes that looked like a ruby shone coolly today. ¡°What do you want me to say? Are you going to believe me?¡± His expression demanded an answer from me, so I spat out moderately. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to listen to that woman anyway?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°If I said that woman in your arms tried to hit Rere under the pretext of ¡®teaching¡¯ her, you wouldn¡¯t believe me no matter what I say, right?¡± The duke¡¯s eyes naturally turned to her at my words. ¡°Hitting the child? Is that true, Astra?¡± ¡°As I said, it was in order to teach her. You don¡¯t know how much that woman and the child ignored me. That¡¯s why I did that.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I feel wronged. I¡­hnngg.¡± As I watched that woman take out her handkerchief to wipe her tears, Rere lashed out. ¡°How dare you act like you¡¯re pitiful! It¡¯s annoying. I said it¡¯s annoying! I hate that poop! I hate you! I hate daddy, too! You¡¯re always siding with that poop!¡± Whether he was shocked at the child¡¯s words, the duke denied her words with shaky eyes. ¡°Did I hear it right?¡± ¡°Yes! I really hate you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why¡­ Get out of here before I hate you even more!¡± I wondered if those words would work on him. The effect was excellent. As if the word ¡®hate¡¯ was the most terrible word in the world, the Duke grabbed Astra¡¯s arm and turned around. ¡°Wh-What are you doing? Are we going out just like this? We need to fix the child¡¯s bad manners!¡± ¡°Be quiet. Shut your mouth and follow me.¡± ¡°¡­Why! Just why! Why are you telling me to shut up? Huh?¡± Astra screamed as if she didn¡¯t want to get out, but the door was already closing. Astra¡¯s maids were also being dragged along. In the blink of an eye, silence came with a ¡®thud¡¯ sound. The sound of two people arguing and fighting outside the door could be heard from inside. ¡°Let go of me. It¡¯s hot.¡± It wasn¡¯t until I heard Rere, who was in my arms, grumble and lift her head to look at me. Her voice was filled with annoyance, but Rere stayed still as if she didn¡¯t really want to get out of my arms. ¡°Is it really hot?¡± ¡°Yeah! Because I took your side, you¡¯ve become so arrogant!¡± ¡°Did you say arrogant? Do you even know what it means?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Meanwhile, Rere, who escaped from my arms, stepped on the chocolate that Astra had brought. No, it was such a waste. The kid in the street would love it if we gave it to them. ¡°It¡¯s such a waste! Why are you stepping on that!¡± ¡°Why? If Rere doesn¡¯t want to eat, we need to throw it away!¡± I embraced the child I had put down a moment ago. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°That¡­That¡¯s not something Rere can¡¯t do, but Rere doesn¡¯t have to do it because it was hard for Rere. Let the nanny pick that up and throw it on the street.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Ah! Is that so! That¡¯s what you mean! If we threw the things she gave on the street, that would make that poop feel worse. Mom is better than me!¡± As if she had come to realize it, Rere clapped her hands and rejoiced. Then her face suddenly hardened, and she put her hand on my face. ¡°You know.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I heard that woman say bad things to mom yesterday.¡± ¡°Ah. Did you hear our conversation outside the door?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why I hate her. She looks ugly.¡± Her red eyes, which resembled a ruby, looked straight at me. ¡°Mom is less ugly.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s why you have to become my mom.¡± I knew how many thoughts and how many worries were contained in each of the grumbles that she spits out. So I smiled and nodded as if I find nothing strange about whatever the child does. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do that.¡± She pretended not to, but Rebecca¡¯s face was brimming with a sweet smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m giving you special permission. But why didn¡¯t you give me the one you hid earlier?¡± I blinked my eyes at Rebecca¡¯s sudden question. ¡°Hid?¡± ¡°Yeah, choco.¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¡°¡­Ah!¡± I liked making it, but I couldn¡¯t help if what I made was not on par with what an expert made. It would be alright if it¡¯s only my chocolate, but even the packaging of the chocolates that the nanny was currently organizing was much prettier in comparison to mine. So I had been hesitating to hold it out, but Rere continued to urge me. ¡°Mom, I told them to throw everything away! I did a good job, right?¡± ¡°But those may be tastier.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. My less ugly mom will be sad if I don¡¯t eat it.¡± When I saw her stretch out her two tiny hands to me, I finally put the child down on the floor. ¡°You¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t regret it. Actually, the food that mom makes is not tasty. Last time¡­cho-chocolate fondant was not tasty either! So I won¡¯t regret it!¡± The child jumped from her seat as she said so. How could anyone hate this five-year-old child? Although it was a shame that she could only speak that way, she was cute. ¡°Ah, here you go.¡± I was immersed in my thoughts for a moment before I took out the chocolate that I had put in my pocket. ¡°What¡¯s this? So small. Why is it so small?¡± Her response was just like what I had expected. As soon as she saw the chocolate in my palm, Rere compared mine to Astra¡¯s chocolate. ¡°That¡¯s why I said you should just eat that one.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll eat this one. But if it¡¯s this small, what will you eat, mom?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be the only one eating! This can¡¯t be right.¡± Before I knew it, Rere jumped and ran towards the nanny, who had collected enough of the chocolates that Astra poured all over the floor in two large baskets. ¡°Miss, if you run around like this, you¡¯ll get hurt.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Rere, who was losing her temper for no reason, rummaged through the basket for a long time. ¡°This one is ugly. I don¡¯t like the packaging. Hmmm¡­ugly mom has to eat something pretty.¡± Rere, who had been rummaging the basket for quite a while, finally found something she liked and came to me with a broad smile. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Come and eat with me.¡± Rere, who grabbed my hand and dragged me, jumped up to the table. Then, she put the chocolate that I made in front of her and Astra¡¯s chocolate in front of me. ¡°I¡¯ll have what my mom gave me. Mom, eat this one.¡± The way she grumbled while taking care of me made me smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°¡­If you are thankful, you must make it again! It¡¯s not because I want to eat it. The rabbit wants to eat choco, too! It¡¯s not fair if we don¡¯t share it¡­!¡± Rere, who was embarrassed and lifted the rabbit in her arms, put chocolate in her mouth. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°Just a little. Well, it¡¯s not that good.¡± I took Astra¡¯s chocolate that the child gave me. Meanwhile, the child put the second chocolate in her mouth. As I looked at the child quietly, I could feel Rere¡¯s character. Rere wasn¡¯t a bad child. Rather, the environment of the child was bad. Even their innate tendency was eventually shaped by the parents. Everything you experience while growing up was made by your parents. ¡®At least Rere isn¡¯t a bad child. I believe it. I¡¯ll have to make her trust me.¡¯ ¡°By the way, mom.¡± The child who was fiddling with the pink wrapping paper met my eyes. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°..No-Nothing.¡± ¡°Why? Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°I said nothing! Stupid.¡± Rere, who screamed, crumpled the wrapping paper and hurriedly put it in a rabbit bag. Then, she glared at the nanny. ¡°Rere is an adult! Nanny, give me the tea!¡± ¡°Yes? You don¡¯t want to drink milk? Miss, you should drink milk now.¡± ¡°Rere is an adult! Adult! A brave adult! An adult who can do anything by herself!¡± Rere, who was seated on the table, pounded the table with her hands. The nanny was forced to push the tea table from the other side of the room and sighed deeply. ¡°Rere is an adult.¡± Contrary to what she said earlier about being an adult, Rere¡¯s feet that were neatly placed on a chair trembled. She was obviously scared. Meanwhile, the nanny put down the tea in front of Rere. The smell of fragrant tea filled the room, but Rere¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t very good. ¡°An adult only drinks tea. I¡¯ve made up my mind. Here I go!¡± I grabbed Rere¡¯s hand, snatched the tea, and drank it right away. ¡°Rere. Are you an adult?¡± ¡°Uh, yes!¡± ¡°Then I don¡¯t have to stay next to you. I was going to spend the night with Rere though.¡± ¡°Huh? No, no! I¡¯ll give you special permission! My mom likes me so much, so I¡¯ll give you permission to do so!¡± Rere, who raised her head, stealthily studied my expression. When I didn¡¯t answer and crossed my arms, the child knocked off the table with her fingers. ¡°I said I¡¯ll give you permission!¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± ¡°Uung! I¡¯ll give you permission. Because mom wants it, I¡¯ll give you special permission!¡± I held the child in my arms and stroked her head. ¡°Because Rere gave me permission, I guess I have to stay here today.¡± ¡°Uung! I¡¯m glad.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Well, what I mean is I¡¯m glad mom likes it. Stupid.¡± Rere, who was giggling, looked down at the teacup for a while. The reddish, clear water was gushing out a cloud of thick smoke. ¡°Let¡¯s have tea now. I¡¯m¡­an adult. I¡¯m not a child.¡± Her fingers were hesitantly fiddling with the white cup. Rere¡¯s mind was transparent, too. I burst out laughing and stopped the nanny from pouring the same tea into Rere¡¯s cup. ¡°Nanny, bring me milk.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Mom, are you drinking milk? But aren¡¯t you an adult? Aren¡¯t you always drinking tea?¡± On the contrary, the child looked at me while pouting her mouth. ¡°Eh, milk is delicious.¡± ¡°Is that so? Are you drinking it because it¡¯s delicious?¡± ¡°Of course~¡± ¡°Do adults drink milk if it¡¯s delicious?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Th-Then Rere will also drink milk! I¡¯m not drinking it because I¡¯m a child! I¡¯m drinking it because it¡¯s delicious!¡± The child, who was busy making an excuse, looked straight at me. ¡°Is that right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Rere isn¡¯t drinking it because she¡¯s a baby.¡± Only then did she smile brightly as she sipped the milk in her mug. **** As the two people shared their milk and spent a cozy time together¡­ A bloody atmosphere filled the space beyond the door. Duke Ian, who was dragging his woman out, shook her arm with an angry face. Astra, who had been caressing her arm as if she was in pain, flared her nose and glared at the duke. ¡°Call the doctor! My hand hurts like hell! I think I broke my arm!¡± ¡°Ha, don¡¯t make me laugh.¡± The gaze of the duke, who snorted in disgust, was cold. However, Astra was busy screaming as if she had lost her senses. ¡°Ha, make you laugh? What exactly are you doing, Duke! I¡¯m your rightful wife, yet you treat me like this?! Look at my hand. It can¡¯t hurt this much unless it¡¯s broken!¡± She was never treated like this ever since she was born, so she couldn¡¯t control her anger. She was born as Astra, a high-ranking noble. Even her own parents had never held her forcefully. Astra¡¯s eyes turned to her red wrist. Seeing her throbbing pain and redness, she was sure that there must be a big problem. However, no matter how much she screamed due to the pain, nobody listened to her. On the contrary, the duke only shook his shoulders and snorted. ¡°My wife, huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m your wife. As your wife, I¡¯ll ask you. Is it so wrong to teach a child to know their place? It¡¯s only natural for parents to teach their children! You can hit them in the process!¡± ¡°Have you ever been hit by someone?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if your parents ever hit you when you¡¯re this impertinent.¡± At his words, Astra¡¯s lips trembled as if she was bewildered. How dare he put her in the same league as that mixed breed? Princess Rebecca was quite famous in the Empire. Nothing was clear about her birth. Some even said that they might have set up a fake child to become a successor. She wasn¡¯t on the same level as that child, so nobody ever treated her that way, let alone hit her. Astra¡¯s voice got louder. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no way I would get hit by anyone. I¡¯m a perfect princess, unlike that child!¡± That woman¡¯s finger pointed at the room. ¡°Argh!!¡± The Duke, who had easily twisted her hand, stood before Astra. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t run your mouth wildly.¡± The Duke held Astra¡¯s cheeks firmly as if he couldn¡¯t control his anger. ¡°It hurts!¡± ¡°Does it hurt? My daughter would have been more hurt. That woman, too.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? Have you gone crazy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crazy.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t cross the line. If you want me to be your wife, treat me properly! Whatever I do, just leave me alone. No wonder the child became like that.¡± Even in the eyes of the Duke, she was immature. ¡°Wife? That¡¯s ridiculous. It¡¯s only on paper. I¡¯m sure I told you already. Don¡¯t ever mess with me.¡± His hand choked her neck sharply. ¡°Let go of me¡­..le-let go. Do you think you¡¯ll be safe if you mess around with me?¡± ¡°You should be safe. At least until your father is no longer useful.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stay still. My father will take you down!¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m going to stay still as well? Ha, what a joke. I¡¯m asking you to kick that Leona woman, but I never told you to harm my daughter. If I hear something like you hitting my child ever again¡­I¡¯ll twist that flimsy neck of yours at once. If you want to die so badly, I can make your wish come true in a single breath.¡± Only then did Astra shut her mouth and stare at him quietly. However, as if their business was over, the Duke took his eyes off her. He made eye contact with the grand chamberlain who followed him around. ¡°From now on, keep an eye on my wife so she won¡¯t get out of here. Ban any contact from outside.¡± ¡°Ha. You can¡¯t lock me up here now¡­!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wise to do that. Get on your senses. That neck¡­I think I¡¯ve warned you already that I can twist that neck of yours right away.¡± Astra hurriedly covered her neck when she saw the duke¡¯s twisted smile. ¡°Then, return to your room and take a rest. Wife. Don¡¯t be stupid.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Those who attend to my wife should be put in jail. Because they didn¡¯t serve my wife well.¡± ¡°Duke!¡± At his words, the duke¡¯s attendants moved swiftly and dragged Astra¡¯s maids one by one. ¡°Duke! This can¡¯t be right! How about me! Who will attend to me now?¡± But even though her voice echoed in the hallway, Ian only moved away from her with an irritated face. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 17 Chapter 17 The Duke, who had been walking alone in the quiet hallway, mumbled to himself while looking out of the window as if he had something in mind. ¡°I can¡¯t let Rere hate me. Was it chocolate? That¡¯s right. I can fill up the room¡­¡± The Duke¡¯s face subtly changed along with his diminished voice. Astra couldn¡¯t have been the one on his mind. *** Night came. The night here was colder than I thought, thus the maids were busy setting fire to the furnace. After taking a bath, Rere strode towards me in pajamas with a rabbit sketch in the middle of it. ¡°My bed is narrow. I want to sleep in mom¡¯s room.¡± ¡°Huh? The bed in Rere¡¯s room is wide enough.¡± It was a very spacious bed enough to fit five adults, but Rere was being stubborn. ¡°If Rere says it¡¯s narrow, it¡¯s narrow!¡± Wearing her pajamas, she held up a rabbit doll and a pillow then looked at me. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Huh? Huh?!¡± The child was determined. Rere had already walked ahead, so I had no choice but to walk behind her. But the way to my room was a bit strange. I followed her despite knowing that, but Rere headed the opposite way to my room. After a while, we stopped in front of a huge room. ¡°You¡¯re not going in?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We have arrived at your room. Come in.¡± ¡°Rere, it¡¯s not my room.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s not your room?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± As if she couldn¡¯t understand my words, Rere wrinkled her brows. ¡°But isn¡¯t this the Duchess¡¯ room?¡± At that time, whether she was bothered by the noise outside the room or was about to get out, Astra came out of the room, ¡°What is this? Why is it so noisy?¡± ¡°Why is this poop coming out of there?¡± Astra, who came out with disheveled hair that didn¡¯t look nice, raised the corners of her mouth when she saw us. Then, she folded her arms and looked down at Rere. ¡°It¡¯s my room.¡± ¡°This is my mom¡¯s room!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s my room. Because I¡¯m your mom.¡± Her behavior became more relaxed as she grasped the situation. ¡°Ahhh. I know.¡± ¡°What do you know! Get out! This is my mom¡¯s room!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this proof that your daddy recognized me as your mother?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! Get out of the way!¡± ¡°If you want to come in, do whatever you want.¡± Bang-! The door was closed loudly. Furthermore, she even locked it from inside, so only the sound of the door locking rang in the quiet hallway. Even before the sound died down, Rere worked hard to twist the doorknob, but of course, it couldn¡¯t be opened. ¡°¡­Darn it¡­!¡± Rere, who was unable to withstand her anger, kicked the door. ¡°Hey! Hey! Get out!¡± Bang-! Bang-! Despite the loud sound, there was no response. Instead, it made Rere¡¯s face flushed. ¡°Rere, if you continue to do that, you¡¯ll only hurt your feet. Let¡¯s go back now, hmm?¡± ¡°Daddy! Where are you!¡± However, no matter what I said, she won¡¯t listen to me. Perhaps Rere also felt it, but the child¡¯s footsteps, which are now headed to another room, were faster than before. Come to think of it, I had been here for quite a while, but I didn¡¯t know any place except for Rere¡¯s room, my room, the kitchen, and the drawing-room where I first met the Duke. It¡¯s my first time going to Astra¡¯s room as well. ¡°Hurry up, mom. I need to fix my dad¡¯s habit! I¡¯ve spoiled him so much that he was so mean these days!¡± The appearance of Rere who spoke like an adult made me laugh unconsciously. Even now, seeing her tiny feet stomping around was so lovable. ¡°Come quickly,¡± In the meantime, Rere approached me and held my hand. ¡°Mom, hold my pillow!¡± Perhaps because her hands were full, Rere handed me her pillow and gently held my hand. Her soft and chubby hand was very warm. ¡°But mom, are you a fool? You should¡¯ve told my daddy! That room is mine! Why can¡¯t you say it!¡± ¡°Do you think so? I must be a fool, then.¡± ¡°¡­Darn it. Stupid. You shouldn¡¯t be that stupid! Okay?!¡± Rere, who led me, looked up and made eye contact with me. ¡°Then, how am I supposed to live?¡± ¡°Ah! The thing is¡­¡± ¡°Should I live like Rere?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I don¡¯t like it if there are two people.¡± Then, we arrived at our destination. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later about how to live! First, we need to meet my daddy!¡± As expected, we arrived at a room that seemed to be the Duke¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Mi-Miss?¡± Originally, most of the Duke¡¯s attendants were taken aback whenever they saw the child because they knew of Rebecca¡¯s personality. The young attendant, who was guarding the Duke¡¯s room, was startled and bowed his head. ¡°Door.¡± ¡°Yes? Ah. Th-The Duke, right now¡­¡± ¡°Door!¡± As if it was a familiar scene, the attendant quickly opened the door. But the person who came out of the room wasn¡¯t the Duke, it was the knight who always followed him around. I had seen his face several times, but since I never met his gaze, I do not particularly remember him. No, the man, whose presence was blurry in my head as if I wouldn¡¯t be able to remember him, was now clearly visible. ¡°Miss. How may I help you?¡± ¡°Luca, why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a brief assignment.¡± ¡°Suspicious¡­.What about my daddy!¡± ¡°The Duke went outside because he has a lot of things to take care of.¡± ¡°Why!!!¡± Rere, who blew her nose, stomped the floor with her feet. Then, the man who came out of the room met my eyes. He was a man with similar features to the Duke. If anything was different, it¡¯s only the color of his eyes. Unlike Duke Ian, who had black hair and red eyes, the man named Luca had black hair and gold eyes that didn¡¯t match well. He was a man who looked at me strangely. Perhaps it¡¯s just my feeling, but he seemed suspicious. Handsome but suspicious. Coming out of his master¡¯s room when he wasn¡¯t even there¡­..That¡¯s suspicious. As if he knew that my eyes were directed at him, he closed his eyes and bowed to me. ¡°More than that, it¡¯s my first time to greet you. My name is Luca.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯m Leona Selen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time to meet you like this. I wanted to talk to you if we ever meet again.¡± The way he looked at me contained a clear boundary. Of course, not only that, but there was also a slight wonder in his eyes. I could feel that as well. ¡°It¡¯s my mom. Don¡¯t look at her! Let¡¯s go, mom!¡± ¡°You seem to adore Ms. Leona very much. That¡¯s a relief. Please let me know if you need anything.¡± He stepped back while putting on a smile. But as if Rere was very frustrated, she grabbed and dragged me away. By the time we got far away from Luca, Rebecca stopped her stride. ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Daddy is a poppy head and he¡¯s snobbish¡­but Luca is a no!¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Daddy is mean. He hates mom. He¡¯s indeed like that¡­but not Luca. Luca is handsome, fights well, and is cool but still!¡± Rere, who put on a serious look, forced a smile and swung her arms back and forth. ¡°Mom is mine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m yours?¡± ¡°Uung! Actually, Luca¡­.! Has a lot of flaws. Uh¡­that¡¯s why¡­anyway! You can¡¯t, okay?¡± Rere¡¯s lips that puffed through her chubby cheeks moved up and down each time she mumbled. I laughed at her cute appearance, which was similar to a duck¡¯s beak. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry about it. But who¡¯s that guy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be interested!¡± I was going to ask more, but due to Rere¡¯s hostility, I finally gave up and followed the child. ¡°Do you understand?!¡± ¡°Uh, okay.¡± Rere, who was screaming loudly, looked around the vicinity. ¡°But where is mom¡¯s room?¡± ¡°My room¡­it¡¯s quite far from here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine! But my feet hurt. Carry me.¡± ¡°Of course. I should do that.¡± I let go of Rere¡¯s hand and handed the pillow back to the child. Then, I walked for a long time while holding Rere in my arms. Perhaps because it was already time to sleep, Rere fell asleep with her face resting on my shoulder. ¡°Good night.¡± ¡°Not asle¡­ep¡­..Rere¡­is not asleep.¡± The already sleepy child mumbled for a long time and eventually fell asleep. Meanwhile, I arrived in front of my room. Recently, I tried to find my way back without May¡¯s assistance, and now it came into use. Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy. Sweat formed on my forehead after walking for a long time. I wanted to rest as soon as I arrived in my room, but I briefly agonized over the poor appearance of the door, which was different from Astra¡¯s, and looked at Rere who leaned on my shoulder. ¡®She¡¯ll get angry if I take her back to her room without telling her.¡¯ While agonizing, I slightly shook her shoulders to wake her up. ¡°Rere. Are you really going to sleep in mom¡¯s room?¡± ¡°Huh? Are we there yet?¡± Rere, who woke up while rubbing her eyes, hurriedly looked around. ¡°¡­Where is the room?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s right here.¡± ¡°¡­But it¡¯s a warehouse.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s mom¡¯s room.¡± The room that we saw a little while ago was embellished with gold ornaments. On the other hand, my room only had a wooden door. It was only natural that Rere¡¯s face stiffened. The child pointed at the door with a frightened look. ¡°Do you really live in a warehouse¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah! The inside is not as wide as yours, but it¡¯s nice!¡± I opened the door with a smile. Rere, who quickly got inside the room, wriggled her nose and shook her head. ¡°Is this a room? How come¡­.they let you stay in this room?¡± At the child¡¯s words, Leona¡¯s life flashed before my eyes. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Each thing Leona had gone through in her life sank in my head. I took a glimpse of her course of life. Her life was so tough that she¡¯d rather die. Leona Selen originated from a fallen aristocrat family. No matter how much of a downfall a fallen aristocrat runs into, they¡¯d usually be able to make ends meet. Her family was an exception. Even though his legs and arms were intact, her father, who wanted nothing but a quick buck, did not even carry out the basic responsibilities as the head of the family just because he was a nobleman. That¡¯s not all. Her mother used up all the money they had left and squandered it on luxury. Even her older sister acted like her mother and indulged in luxury. The youngest member of the family, Leona, had to earn money from a very early age on behalf of her family. She did everything she could to earn money, except for selling her body. However, no matter how hard she tried, her family¡¯s situation did not improve. Each time she earned money, it was used for either of the two: Her father who gambled, or her mother and sister who indulged in luxury. It was like pouring water into a pot with a hole in the bottom. Leona had to patch up her own clothes and wore a thin summer dress even in winter. ¡®In the end, Leona¡¯s father did what he shouldn¡¯t have done.¡¯ He tried to sell his daughter as a prostitute. Due to sheer luck, Leona¡¯s father met the Duke just before he sold his daughter to a brothel. ¡®Anyways, this place was heaven compared to where she lived then. During the days when Leona lived in her house, her room was an attic. In that room, she couldn¡¯t even straighten herself up properly and made friends with mice and cockroaches.¡¯ In that instant, I had goosebumps all over my body. Absolutely not. Even if I run away from here, I would never return to that house. Never in a million years would I sleep with such friends. In that sense, this place was no different than heaven. But Rere seemed to think differently. ¡°In such a room¡­!¡± ¡°No. I like it. Come on in, Rere. It¡¯s not always good to have a big room. It¡¯s cozy and nice. The sun comes through warmly.¡± ¡°¡­Dammit¡­¡± However, the child seemed to be dissatisfied with it. Rere struggled to go down from my arms. She was busy skimming through the entire room while grumbling in a blunt manner. ¡°Small. I said it¡¯s small! I¡¯m going to kill daddy. How dare he give my mom this kind of room?¡± ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to side with him again, aren¡¯t you?!¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m siding with him. If anything, I want to curse him out.¡± ¡°True. Mom, you should curse at daddy. It¡¯s his fault!¡± After her last scream, Rere looked at the bed and opened her eyes flimsily. ¡°I¡¯m done looking around. How small! I don¡¯t like it! It¡¯s smaller than my toy room! It¡¯s not even as big as my dollhouse!¡± As soon as she said that, Rere climbed up to my bed. ¡°¡­Rere? You said you don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t like it to the point that I¡¯m so annoyed, but what can I do? Mom can¡¯t sleep alone, so I¡¯ll sleep with mom today. In this room!¡± ¡°Uh, yeah? Is that so?¡± ¡°The room is bad and old, but I¡¯ll sleep here just for you. Come on.¡± The child pounded on my bed with her hand. ¡°Just for today. Let¡¯s sleep in my room from tomorrow onwards. How can you sleep here!¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll allow you to sleep with me not only tomorrow, but also until my stupid daddy gets you a room.¡± The grinning child even turned the blanket down. It¡¯s so darn cute. ¡°Come on!¡± ¡®Why did I never look into this child¡¯s heart even once?¡¯ Even now, seemingly, I couldn¡¯t completely love Rere yet. As the Duke said, the child¡¯s heart might change someday. Nonetheless, I really liked Rere. To the point that I often wonder why I even hated her. The same would apply to Rere. Once the child opened her heart, she absorbed love like a sponge. She didn¡¯t speak nicely, but since I knew she didn¡¯t mean any of those words, she was even more adorable. So I naturally lied down next to Rere. Thanks to the exceptionally high ceiling, the moonlight gently drifted in through the window that was hung on the upper side. Perhaps because of that, even when the lights were turned off, the room was bright. It was such a dreamy atmosphere. Thanks to that, I could see Rere¡¯s face lying next to me. Rere also smiled slightly as if we had the same thought. ¡°But it¡¯s not that bad. The atmosphere is a lot better than I thought.¡± ¡°You like it?¡± ¡°Yeah! I guess it¡¯s because mom is right next to me.¡± ¡°Our Rere is talking prettily now?¡± Rere, who smiled brightly to the point her cheeks might burst, hugged the doll she was holding more tightly. ¡°That¡¯s not true! Well¡­..Mom will act pretty when I spoil her. So mom is more pretty.¡± The child stroked my head with her small hand. ¡°Rere is also pretty these days.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You know?¡± ¡°Yeah. Rere is always pretty. Such a cute child is not common in the world!¡± The child stuck out her tongue and flailed her feet. When I saw the child who seemed shy but happy, I laughed without realizing it. ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re cute and pretty.¡± ¡°She¡¯s in a good mood because of your compliment.¡± Rere raised the rabbit¡¯s hand that she had been carrying along. Thanks to this, I could clearly see the doll that I had seen before. ¡°And what¡¯s the rabbit¡¯s name?¡± It was an old rabbit doll. The rabbit that Rere always carried seemed to always have a new bag, but the rabbit doll itself isn¡¯t new. It¡¯s shabby. As if to prove it, the rabbit doll¡¯s eyes fell out, and there were several broken parts here and there. The awfully broken parts were roughly mended with fabric. It looked different from the countless rabbit dolls in the child¡¯s room. ¡°Are you curious? Then, I¡¯ll only tell mom about this. Her name is Ugly.¡± ¡°Ugly?¡± ¡°¡­Because she¡¯s ugly. She has different eyes and uneven ears. There¡¯s less cotton in the arms, so it¡¯s not good to hug.¡± Rere, who grumbled, held the rabbit up high. ¡°That¡¯s why her name is Ugly.¡± ¡°But you seem to cherish it a lot. Didn¡¯t you make her a bag, too?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. My ugly mom made it for me. The mom who gave birth to me. Instead of making things like this, she should¡¯ve stayed next to me. Why bother doing something useless. Just like mom now. You only do useless things.¡± The sullen Rere stretched out the rabbit¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± When I asked what I shouldn¡¯t have asked, I hurriedly tried to move on to another subject. ¡°I see. What about other dolls¡­¡± ¡°But still, I¡¯m fine. My mom is next to me now. Because mom won¡¯t leave.¡± Before I knew it, Rere, who hugged the doll in her arms, curled up in my arms. ¡°¡­.I see.¡± ¡°Did you know? That daddy¡¯s a fool? All I like is Ugly, but he thought I liked rabbits and bought a hundred of them last time.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah? Did he?¡± ¡°Not only that. I actually don¡¯t like rabbits, but he always buys me rabbit dolls because he thinks I like it. I¡¯m talking about those rabbits in my room.¡± ¡°So Rere doesn¡¯t want them?¡± ¡°Yeah. Rather, I always lose my Ugly when I play there. Daddy¡­Daddy doesn¡¯t know what I really need. He doesn¡¯t even try to find out. He always does as he pleases every day. He became very stupid lately.¡± The grumpy child buried her head in my chest. ¡°Mom is¡­different.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. No idea. Just¡­mom is different.¡± She kept saying I¡¯m different, but honestly, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s different about me. ¡°Then, what would Rere do if mom becomes like the other moms? What if I become a fool like your dad?¡± ¡°Uuu¡­then¡­then I¡­¡± The child didn¡¯t answer for a long time. But then she smiled as if she thought of something. ¡°Then I want to love such a mom. All I have to do is to love my mom. That way I won¡¯t hate you even if you change.¡± Rere, who was giggling as if she had earned an enlightenment, shook her head quickly. ¡°Do-Don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m not saying I love you. Ra-Rabbit! It¡¯s Ugly who said that.¡± At that moment, Rere¡¯s cheeks flushed red and her ruby eyes shook endlessly. ¡°What are you looking at? Don¡¯t look, stupid mom. Hurry up and sleep.¡± Perhaps she wasn¡¯t used to expressing her feelings, so Rere couldn¡¯t subdue her shyness. She dabbed my arm and kept eye contact with me. And then she fell asleep first. Seeing such a child, I couldn¡¯t sleep for a long time. Indeed, what did I want? Did I really want to turn the evil child into a normal child? ¡®If I do that, what difference would it make? The child¡¯s body has a time limit.¡¯ She would die in the end. In the novel, the child¡¯s body slowly worsened. ¡®But I want to heal you. I want to change the child¡¯s life, which is hanging on by a few numbers. Don¡¯t let yourself die. Twenty to thirty. I want to protect this pure heart until she becomes an adult and old woman.¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t remember the child¡¯s last moment. Did she really die because of her illness or something else? I must¡¯ve remembered everything at first, but somehow my head became clouded now. ¡°Baby, what really happened to you? If only I could remember the future, I would definitely protect you. But still, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let you die. Because I decided to be your mom.¡± My hands naturally caressed Rere¡¯s hair. Rere rubbed my hand against her cheeks as if she was feeling comfortable with my touch. After a long time, I finally fell asleep. The next morning. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Instead of the warm sunlight, I opened my eyes at the sound of someone knocking at the door. ¡°Madam. Madam!¡± ¡°Yawn¡­¡± I yawned because I slept late, but since the situation seemed urgent, I put the blanket on Rere and opened the door. The nanny stood by the door, sweating profusely. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Is the miss here, too?¡± ¡°She¡¯s sleeping. Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Master has been looking for the miss since early in the morning.¡± ¡°¡­My god. What time is it?¡± I looked at the clock in the room. It¡¯s not even 8 a.m yet, so my gaze became irritated. But the nanny¡¯s expression was even worse than mine. ¡°But still¡­if you don¡¯t go, my master will probably come here.¡± Indeed, with his personality, he¡¯d totally come here. I gave a deep sigh and nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get ready.¡± I wanted to curse him out for waking up a sleeping child, but since he wasn¡¯t here, I went back to my room and changed my clothes. Then, I held the sleeping child in my arms. ¡°Hmhh¡­Is it morning already¡­?¡± As soon as I held her, she opened her drowsy eyes and leaned her head against my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not time to wake up yet, but daddy is looking for Rere. Let¡¯s go back to your room.¡± ¡°Uung¡­okay. I¡¯ll sleep a little more¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Sleep well all the way.¡± I looked at the clock while changing, but it¡¯s not even close to 10 a.m. yet. It¡¯s time for an average adult to wake up, but not for a child. For a child who gets up at around 11 o¡¯clock, it was like dawn now. Even I knew about the child¡¯s wake-up schedule, so I couldn¡¯t believe her dad was looking for her right now. ¡°Haa¡­.¡± When I came out, the nanny wrapped the blanket around Rere¡¯s shoulders and carefully opened her mouth. ¡°Did the miss sleep well last night?¡± Maybe she noticed my foul mood as the nanny only looked at me awkwardly. ¡°She was sleeping well. Although there was a little commotion¡­¡± ¡°Commotion?¡± ¡°Yes. We visited that woman¡¯s room and went to the Duke¡¯s room as well.¡± ¡°Oh my god. So what happened next?¡± When the nanny raised her voice in surprise, she saw Rere who was in my arms and hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Why are you sorry? I don¡¯t think the child is that bad. And nothing happened. Astra locked the door before we could enter, and the Duke wasn¡¯t in his room.¡± Rather, the nanny¡¯s eyes glistened as if she was amazed by what I said. ¡°Oh¡­the miss did that?¡± ¡°Yes, well¡­¡± ¡°Are you sure? I¡¯ve been her personal maid since she was very young. So I knew a lot about the miss.¡± The nanny gave me a warm smile. The Duke selected the current nanny, Daisy, after the incident. The reason was because he could no longer place his trust in outsiders. Perhaps because of the previous nanny, this time, the Duke chose a pretty decent person. It¡¯s not because she treated me well, but because she worked hard on her tasks and was sincere about Rebecca. Despite being Rebecca¡¯s personal maid for quite a while, she was loathed by the previous nanny and was forced to do servant tasks, but when she returned to her original position, she became more enthusiastic than anyone ever was. Even though Rere often spoke harshly during her outbursts, the nanny just smiled. ¡°The miss changed a lot. In the past, she would have set the room on fire for not letting her in.¡± ¡°Fire¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, it happened before. Whenever she found out that master wasn¡¯t in his room, with her temperament, she would barge in and overturn the room. She was always angry when things didn¡¯t go her way.¡± At her words, I stroked Rere¡¯s head that was completely attached to my body. ¡°Do you think she has changed?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s a good change.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s still angry at others.¡± ¡°I know, but her attitude is much better than before.¡± The nanny, who withstood most of Rere¡¯s angry tantrums these days, just laughed at me. ¡°I¡¯m telling you. If other people see her behavior, it may come off as rude and spoiled, but she has really improved.¡± I was about to say, ¡®That¡¯s a relief. I wish she was a little chubbier than kids of her age.¡¯, the hallway became noisy. As soon as I turned to the corner of the hallway leading to the central castle, I met the Duke¡¯s eyes. Perhaps he was about to come this way, but his steps were quite fast. Of course, the Duke looked very angry as soon as he saw me. As I looked at his expression, I was reluctant to say anything. ¡°Where did you put my daughter to sleep? Just where did you take the child!¡± ¡°What do you mean? More importantly, why are you looking for the child this early? There¡¯s no way that you, her father, don¡¯t know that it¡¯s not time for the child to wake up yet.¡± At that time, Rere¡¯s body, which was covered by the blanket, wriggled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to know.¡± ¡®You don¡¯t have to know, my butt.¡¯ When my desire to ignore him and walk away surged, the blanket slipped down. ¡°Foolish, dummy daddy. There¡¯s nothing that mom doesn¡¯t need to know. If there¡¯s something mom doesn¡¯t need to know, Rere will pretend to not know, too.¡± As soon as Rere woke up, she glared at the Duke. ¡°¡­Rere. If you say that, daddy will be sad.¡± ¡°Daddy? As if! I hate daddy the most in the world!¡± Just do one thing at a time. Just one. If you are going to crawl to the child like a daughter¡¯s fool, or if you are going to keep your dignity as you please. Just do one of the two. The Duke¡¯s face changed like hot and cold water at the moment. ¡°Why, just why! You are my daughter. You¡¯re my daughter, but why do you hate me?¡± ¡°Because daddy is a fool.¡± Rere turned her head away to avoid the Duke. A moment ago, he looked at me fiercely, but now, he bent down like a humble eunuch and followed Rere¡¯s gaze. ¡°Rere. Listen to me. Daddy got you a present.¡± ¡°What else did you do this time? You said it¡¯s a gift, but you always overdo it! You¡¯re only giving me useless gifts!¡± The Duke shuddered at Rere¡¯s words as if what he had done was a common occurrence. ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s something that Rere would like. So come here. Let me hug you. Let¡¯s see your gift with daddy.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t obsess over me. Obsessive men are not attractive!¡± The Duke couldn¡¯t hide his embarrassment and only cleared his throat. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°It¡¯s annoying. It¡¯s so annoying!¡± ¡°I promise I won¡¯t annoy you anymore. So please go with daddy for once, hmm?¡± Only then did Rere raise her head, seemingly interested. ¡°Are you really sure you won¡¯t annoy me anymore?¡± ¡°Sure. Just look at it once.¡± He suddenly regained his confidence. ¡°Okay. Just this once. But I want to be held by mom.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Did you say why! Don¡¯t you know I¡¯ll become a fool if I¡¯m alone with daddy? That poopy head became stupid because she was with daddy.¡± Rere was determined, and the Duke was a daughter¡¯s fool. He was quite embarrassed as Rere kept saying bad words towards him. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Then we shall go together. I¡¯m sure Rere will fall in love with daddy again once we get there.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Shall we see? Hey, you. Follow me.¡± In the end, the Duke took the lead with a determined mind. Of course, I was upset when he said ¡®Hey, you¡¯, but I still followed him because of Rere. I will make you pay 200 times more for whatever you had said and done to me. I gritted my teeth and glared at him fiercely. I¡¯m sure Rere, who was watching the Duke, felt the same way as me. ¡°No matter what you do, I¡¯ll never like daddy!¡± Rere was clearly displeased, but nonetheless, the Duke¡¯s face was quite bright. Thereafter, we arrived at the drawing room located on the first floor. I had been to this place before. As if it was thoroughly prepared, the Duke opened the door wide. But as soon as we got in there, Rere and I were appalled. ¡°¡­Daddy, are you crazy?¡± At that moment, a cold voice rang in the room. It wasn¡¯t an angry or an irritated voice. Her voice clearly contained disappointment. ¡°Rere? What do you mean by crazy? That must have a good meaning, right?¡± But the Duke was totally oblivious of the child¡¯s feelings, even though her tone was completely different from her usual outbursts. The Duke only blinked, totally clueless about what Rere was saying. The Duke of Petri was rumored to be responsible for handling the Empire¡¯s dirty fallout. And the main character of that rumor, Duke Ian Petri, was famous for being intelligent. But I had no idea that he was so dumb about things related to his own daughter. My gaze skimmed through the drawing room. The whole room was completely transformed. From the floor to the ceiling, the whole room was full of chocolate. It was no exaggeration to say that all the furniture was made of chocolate. I¡¯m not sure if they only coated everything with chocolate, or if the actual furniture was made of chocolate¡­ In any case, it wasn¡¯t something a sane person would do. ¡°Mom, let me get off.¡± As I stared blankly at the absurd sight, I finally came to my senses and put her down. Rere was determined. The child ran to the Duke. ¡°You like it, don¡¯t you?¡± He smiled awkwardly and kneeled on the floor because it wasn¡¯t clear to him whether ¡®crazy¡¯ had a positive or negative meaning. He was smiling with his arms wide open as if he finally accepted that ¡®crazy¡¯ meant something positive. But Rere ran towards him at once and stomped on the Duke¡¯s foot. ¡°Ugh.¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 ¡°I¡¯m not even a child. Did you really think I¡¯d like this?¡± Although I could only see her back, Rere¡¯s feelings were still evident to me. The demeanor of a child who was extremely angry. ¡°Re-Rere. If you hit daddy¡­¡± ¡°You deserve it, Daddy! I¡¯ve been good these days, but what¡¯s wrong with your head?¡± ¡°That¡­..What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°Who in the world likes a room full of chocolates! Why is the floor made of chocolate? Do you want me to step on it and eat it to my heart¡¯s content?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Behind the Duke who was tongue-tied, the servants in front of the room began to whisper among themselves. Of course, their whispers came into my ears first. -I knew this would happen- -He¡¯s pulling this crap again- When I turned my head to the source of the sound, those who had a dark circle below their eyes hurriedly turned their heads away from me. Now I understand why the Duke was not seen yesterday. ¡®He trying to pull this kind of crap¡­¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m annoyed. I¡¯m so annoyed!¡± Unable to repress her anger, Rere repeatedly stomped on the floor. Rere¡¯s anger didn¡¯t seem to go away. ¡°Daddy! You never ask me about what I want! You think by yourself and decide by yourself¡­..All by yourself¡­!!! Dammit¡­I hate you!¡± Eventually, Rere looked around for a while, turned around crying, and then ran to me. The child buried her face in my clothes, unable to control her emotions. ¡°Rere¡­?¡± ¡°This is far from what I want! I want¡­I want¡­ something that daddy will make just for me. Mom always asks me what I want and does it for me, but why can¡¯t you understand how I feel!¡± ¡°Rere. That¡¯s-¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been with daddy for a long time. You¡¯ve seen me more often. Daddy¡­You never actually look at me!¡± For the first time, Rere¡¯s voice was so damp. I hurriedly hugged Rere who was clinging to my clothes. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want to see daddy anymore!¡± ¡°Re-Rere!¡± But Rere was resolute. Her face was red as if she was asking me to hug her. So I held the child in my arms. ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room. Don¡¯t stop me.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go back.¡± But the Duke couldn¡¯t let us go easily. ¡°Hold it! With whose permission do you dare to move in front of me?¡± The Duke, who was still out of his mind, grabbed me by the shoulder. I shrugged off his arm. ¡°My permission. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to block the child from leaving as well?¡± ¡°She¡¯s my daughter!¡± ¡°Rere is also my daughter! Speaking of which, a guy like you doesn¡¯t deserve to be a parent! Daughter this, daughter that. As if!¡± ¡°Wh-What? You¡¯re really crazy¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the crazy one! Play with her or try to understand her heart instead of doing this kind of crap. Don¡¯t just buy her rabbit dolls!¡± Shithead. Serves you right, jerk. You deserve to be stomped. Numerous curses quickly passed through my head without making any sound. Now that he realized something, he no longer screamed or stopped us. He just stood there. Just by looking at that person¡¯s expression, my life became more exasperating, but I felt a little at ease after yelling right at his face. I almost ran to Rere¡¯s room just in case he runs after me. The nanny, who ran with me, hurriedly closed the door and locked it. ¡°I will never open the door for master.¡± She dragged a heavy sofa to block the door in case of a possible emergency. I had no choice but to worry about the nanny who was taking action excessively. ¡°¡­.Is it going to be alright?¡± ¡°Yes. Well, nothing is going to happen. Although¡­this is the first time such a thing occurs¡­¡± The nanny spoke with a look of embarrassment. Then, she smiled briefly and ordered the maids to do this and that. After watching them for a while, I went to the bed and put Rere down. Then, I gently brushed the hair of the sad-looking Rere. However, Rere, who would have grumbled or become angry, only looked at the doll silently. ¡°Rere, do you want to sleep more?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Then do you want anything else? Do you want to play with the rabbit?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to see the rabbit.¡± She didn¡¯t want to do anything. Neither did she want to go out, nor did she want to stay in the room. Because her emotions were unstable, the child kept saying that she disliked everything for a long time. I only caressed her head until she felt better. Only after Rere calmed down and pouted her mouth like a rabbit, I lowered my head for it to match her¡¯s. ¡°Umm¡­.. Then, if you don¡¯t like anything, do you want to make chocolate with mom?¡± Rere, who had been looking down the entire time, looked at me with sparkling eyes. However, her eyes were wet and red from crying alone at that time. I gently pressed Rere¡¯s eyes with my hand. ¡°Oof.¡± ¡°Rere, you can act like a child at times like this.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t really hate your daddy, do you?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. But you said you¡¯re going to make chocolate!¡± Rere urged me as if she was trying to evade the question. ¡°That¡¯s right. But if we¡¯ll go to the kitchen, we need to go out.¡± ¡°Then¡­..Then we¡¯ll meet daddy¡­? Umm¡­if we pretend not to know daddy¡­¡± The child¡¯s voice, which had been firm until a little while ago, was shaking little by little now. At that time, a maid looking out the window exclaimed joyfully. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about master¡­.He just went out!¡± ¡°All of a sudden?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At the same time, Rere, who made eye contact with me, rushed to the window. It was true. The Duke was really standing next to the horse. ¡°Daddy¡­really went out.¡± My eyes naturally turned to him. After looking in that direction for a while, he got on a horse and vanished. Clinging to the window, Rere stood for a long time until he was gone. The child, who said she hated her father, put on a grim expression as if she had anticipated her father to find her. ¡°He¡­really left¡­¡± I wanted to curse at his back so bad, but I¡¯m cautious of Rere¡¯s feelings. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Mhm?¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go make some chocolate!¡± ¡°Daddy¡­is not here, so we can move comfortably. Hehe. Mom, you don¡¯t have to worry. Daddy never came for me, so you don¡¯t need to lock the door.¡± Rere, who stepped back from the window, walked briskly. ¡°Daddy is so mean. Boohoo! I¡¯m not joking! Even if he brings back a hundred presents, I won¡¯t look at it!¡± She bursts into another fit. ¡°Everyone, scram! I¡¯m going out! Why are you blocking the door! It¡¯s useless!¡± Only then did the nanny quickly push back the sofa. As if it was familiar to them, the maids hurriedly opened the door. The nanny, who was watching the whole situation, looked at the child and me alternately. ¡°Miss¡­¡± ¡°What! Don¡¯t talk to me, I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± I was heartbroken to see the nanny who couldn¡¯t even hear any pleasant words from her after working so hard. So I stopped the child before she spoke more harshly. ¡°Nanny. Do you have an apron for Rere?¡± ¡°Ah! I have an apron for young maids¡­but may I know why¡­?¡± ¡°We have to wear an apron to make chocolate.¡± ¡°Ah! Is-Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Please.¡± The bewildered nanny quickly came to her senses and nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll prepare it right away.¡± ¡°No thanks! Who wears such a thing!¡± I hugged Rere who lashed out more than usual. ¡°Even if mom will wear it? I was thinking we could wear it together like a couple.¡± ¡°Couple?¡± ¡°Yes! Wearing the same clothes with your loved ones is called ¡®couple clothes¡¯.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Only then did she lift her head and grin. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll wear it. Because mom wants it! I don¡¯t usually wear those, but because mom wants it, I will do it. Okay?¡± ¡°Of course~¡± Only then did the nanny smile broadly and went to prepare the apron. Meanwhile, I went to the kitchen with Rere. ¡°By the way, mom.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve asked my daddy to change your room¡­but I couldn¡¯t bring that up¡­Sorry¡­¡± Rere buried her face in my shoulder. ¡°Hmmm. I know right. I have no choice. I think I should sleep in Rere¡¯s room from now on.¡± ¡°Really? Will you do that?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Oh, no. Because I¡¯m an adult, I shouldn¡¯t do that. But¡­if mom wants it, I¡¯ll allow you to do so! Mom¡¯s room is bad anyway. The bed is so uncomfortable that I couldn¡¯t sleep all night!¡± You snored and slept well though. You even talked in your sleep. ¡°Mom must have a rough sleeping habit.¡± ¡°My god, you¡¯re a lot worse.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true! Nanny and the maids said I sleep like an angel.¡± Sure. I guess there was an angel who turned 360 degrees from her position. I glanced at the two maids in the back. They shook their heads with a pale complexion. Their gesture already told me about Rere¡¯s sleeping habits without saying anything. ¡°Yeah, you must be an angel.¡± A breakdancing angel. ¡°That¡¯s why mom needs to learn from me.¡± ¡°What should I do in order to sleep like Rere?¡± ¡°Umm. First, you need to hug Rere. Then, you can sleep like an angel. Phew, do I have to teach you everything?¡± Rere sighed with a groan. And yet, she looked straight at me. It was hard to pretend to be clueless about the child¡¯s hidden intention. In the end, she wanted me to hug her. ¡°Now that I see it, Rere is warm. Mom has cold hands and feet. That¡¯s why you need to hold me.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s annoying.¡± As soon as she said that, Rere wrapped her hands around my cheeks. ¡°How¡¯s that? Warm, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Very much.¡± ¡°As expected, mom can¡¯t live without me.¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Rere and I giggled in a good mood and arrived in front of the kitchen. ¡°Where is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the kitchen! No one is using it for now so I¡¯m using it for a while.¡± ¡°Aah! So it¡¯s a kitchen only for mom!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The moment we were about to enter the kitchen, the nanny ran to us. ¡°I¡¯ve brought what you said.¡± It was the exact white apron I wore, only the size was different. ¡°¡­Well, isn¡¯t it cute?¡± As soon as she saw it, Rere came down from my arms with a delighted expression. ¡°Now, try it on.¡± The nanny, who had a proud smile on her face, hurriedly put it on Rere. Then, Rere spun around after the white apron fastened to her blue dress. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this because I like it. It¡¯s because mom likes it.¡± ¡°I know. Our Rere is so big-hearted, so she always does what her mom wants.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. So let¡¯s begin making the chocolate.¡± ¡°Wait a moment. I¡¯ll prepare it.¡± Just when I was busy taking out various ingredients on the table, someone entered the kitchen. ¡°You must be doing something fun.¡± I was stiffened at the sudden appearance of a man. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I was on my way and stopped when I heard a noise coming from here. I also saw a lot of maids guarding here, unlike usual.¡± At that time, Rere welcomed him with a bright smile. ¡°It¡¯s Luca. Luca, do you want to see it? I¡¯m making amazing chocolate.¡± Only Rere didn¡¯t care about his abrupt appearance. Rere grinned excitedly at him, while I was rather burdened by him. I didn¡¯t think he was a bad guy, but because of that, I felt more uncomfortable. I felt that he emitted forced emotion. Meanwhile, Rere held Luca¡¯s hand and brought him into the kitchen. ¡°Miss, are you making your own chocolate?¡± ¡°Of course~ You¡¯re looking forward to it, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Very much. Then, can I watch you from here?¡± Luca had already pulled the chair and leaned against the table even before he was given permission. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll give Luca special permission to see it. Mom. you can start.¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°Moving your hands like this and that!¡± The child¡¯s eyes glistened. I didn¡¯t mean to teach her from the beginning, but when Rere told me to do it with so much confidence, I smiled and lifted the child to the small stairs. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. We were supposed to do it together, right? What we¡¯re going to do today isn¡¯t difficult.¡± Today, I¡¯m going to make chocolate Pave. ¡°Rere just needs to diligently melt the chocolate.¡± ¡°Huh? Is that all I need to do?¡± I glanced at the nanny, in case it was dangerous for the child, and she naturally clung to Rere¡¯s side. As anyone could make it easily, the recipe for chocolate Pave, which suits everyone¡¯s taste, was simple. I just need whipped cream, chocolate butter, and cocoa powder. I worked hard to prepare the mold by warming up the whipped cream next to Rere. In the meantime, the chocolate melted, and I poured the whipped cream on top of the melted chocolate made by Rere to make Ganache. Lastly, I held Rere¡¯s hand to melt the butter and poured it into the pan. ¡°Now, it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Done? Aren¡¯t you going to shape it up?¡± ¡°Yes. But we need to put it in there so it will solidify.¡± Rere pouted, displeased by my words. ¡°It¡¯s not cool! It¡¯s just ugly chocolate!¡± As soon as I tried to soothe the child, Luca stood up, leaned closer to Rere, and stroked her head. ¡°There may be ugly chocolate in the world, but every chocolate made by miss is pretty. And it looks delicious. In my eyes, it¡¯s prettier than any other chocolate.¡± ¡°¡­Tsk, I wanted to make something as cool as my mom¡¯s¡­Don¡¯t treat me like a child!¡± But Luca¡¯s effort to pacify the child was useless since Rere put her hands on her hips and glared at me. ¡°Of course not, Rere. If we do everything at once, there¡¯ll be nothing left for us to do tomorrow, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Only then did Rere lift her chin up as though she understood something. ¡°That¡¯s right. Mom must be bored. Do you want to play with me that badly?¡± ¡°Of course~ I want to play with you everyday.¡± ¡°Okay. Since mom wants it so badly, I¡¯ll make choco with you tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. That¡¯s good enough, right?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± I ended up spending my time chatting about various things to match the child¡¯s rhythm. There was cold storage here. Simply put, it was similar to a modern refrigerator, only the shape was different. The storage was equipped with mana stone. As a result, the chilly air came out of the storage that looked like a drawer and cooled the chocolate. Mana stone was convenient in many ways. From a cold storage to an appliance to keep you warm during night time. It could also be used to teleport, however, I couldn¡¯t use it very well. In short, mana stone was used in various places and ways. Surprisingly, I heard the Duke of Petri become more powerful and had plenty of assets compared to other noble families because of his possession of the rare mana stone mine. ¡°Fortunately, it¡¯s all done!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the end?¡± When I took out the chocolate, Rere, who clung close to me, pouted her lips. ¡°Yeah! Now, it¡¯s Rere¡¯s turn to sprinkle this.¡± I held out the cocoa powder to Rere. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°You just need to sprinkle it on top and we¡¯re done.¡± ¡°We¡¯re done already? What about the garnish?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the garnish.¡± ¡°What is this..?¡± When I was about to say ¡®cocoa¡¯, the child put her face close to the cocoa powder. Perhaps because her nose was itchy, Rere suddenly sneezed loudly. Thanks to that, the cocoa powder flew around in an instant. ¡°Pfff¡­damn it¡­mom! You¡¯re doing this on purpose, aren¡¯t you!¡± Along with the sweet scent, the cocoa powder flew around all over the place like a cloud of dust. ¡°No, that can¡¯t be.¡± But Rere was very angry. ¡°I¡­must excuse myself.¡± Luca said. Since he stood in front of Rere, his state was the most awful. His handsome face was covered with chocolate powder. The child¡¯s face was also crumpled. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault! It¡¯s mom¡¯s fault!¡± ¡°Miss, I¡¯m fine. More than that, your face is dirty, miss.¡± As if he was the embodiment of the word ¡®kindness¡¯ itself, he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and immediately wiped Rere¡¯s face. Meanwhile, Rere, who took his treatment silently, became sullen and shifted her gaze to the floor. ¡°¡­Luca is sweet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only sweet to you, miss.¡± ¡°¡­I wish¡­Luca is my daddy.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Daddy¡­. He has never wiped my face with his hands. It¡¯s not a compliment!¡± The sullen Rere snatched the handkerchief from his hand and wiped her own face. ¡°Luca, go away. I don¡¯t want to see you.¡± ¡°Alright, miss. Then, I¡¯ll go and wash my face, too.¡± After that reply, he gave a short greeting and quietly left the kitchen. As soon as he left, Rere took a deep sigh and handed me the handkerchief. ¡°Wipe it or not, I don¡¯t care!¡± ¡°Are you giving me this so I can wipe my face?¡± ¡°What nonsense. I just want you to clean your face and return it to Luca!¡± ¡°Really? Thank you.¡± ¡°Ah, no, you can¡¯t. I take back my word. When mom¡¯s done, give it to nanny so she can return it to Luca. Mom, you should never, ever, meet Luca!¡± Her red eyes directly stared at me, so I leaned slightly towards the child who seemed worried. ¡°Rere, why do you hate it when mom meets with Luca?¡± ¡°What if¡­mom¡­throws away my daddy and choose Luca! If it¡¯s me, I¡¯ll choose Luca, too. Because daddy¡¯s really not good!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Rere. Do you know how much I hate your stupid daddy?¡± ¡°¡­I know. Ah, no, I mean, I don¡¯t know. And you¡¯re mistaken, I don¡¯t like mom, either!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The child, who suddenly became furious, glared at me. ¡°Mom, you must think I like you, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­well¡­maybe?¡± ¡°Stupid. I don¡¯t like mom. You¡¯re stupid. You always make mistakes. Rere doesn¡¯t like you, but still, Rere wants you to stay! Daddy is the same!¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t like you¡­.but I want you to be with me. You don¡¯t understand that feeling!¡± I leaned over and listened to the child. But Rere thumped her chest with her hand as though she found it frustrating. ¡°How frustrating! Mom is clueless about it because mom is stupid, but that¡¯s how my dad feels. So don¡¯t carry any weird feelings! Okay?¡± ¡°Okay, I get it.¡± Your daddy won¡¯t choose me, and I won¡¯t choose him either, anyway. ¡®Even if I had a choice, I would never choose the duke.¡¯ Sometimes, the Duke looked like a person who was devoid of any emotions. Particularly, he lacked kindness and affection. So, Rere didn¡¯t need to worry about that since I won¡¯t choose Luca, either. As soon as the child is healthy, I¡¯m going to leave this family and live in a place where I won¡¯t hear any news about this family. My goal is still the same. ¡®Run Away¡¯. It¡¯s only an extra that I would keep the child healthy so she won¡¯t get hurt. Meanwhile, Rere, who had shaken off all the cocoa powder on her face with the help of her nanny, sprinkled the remaining powder on top of the Ganache. When I almost finished wiping my face with Luca¡¯s handkerchief, Rere pointed her forefinger at the chocolate. ¡°Mom. Are we done with this?¡± ¡°Ah, we¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Are you saying this ugly thing is delicious?¡± ¡°Yeah, try it.¡± ¡°No. Mom, you try it first in case it¡¯s not delicious.¡± Rere, who picked up the chocolate with her fingers that were fully smeared with chocolate, naturally held it out to me first. ¡°Are you giving it to your mom first?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m afraid there may be something weird inside. That white liquid that you put in the chocolate earlier is very suspicious!¡± It was just whipped cream, but Rere kept stretching out her hand while mouthing ¡®Ahh¡¯. So, I had no choice but to put the chocolate into my mouth. Perhaps because the ingredients were good, the chocolate melted in my mouth immediately. ¡°Mhm. It¡¯s really delicious. It¡¯s probably because I made it with Rere.¡± ¡°Really? Is it really delicious? It¡¯s delicious because I made it well. I must be very talented.¡± Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Rere, who gobbled up a mouthful of chocolate with a proud look, smiled and fed it to the nanny. ¡°How is it? Delicious, right?¡± ¡°Oh my god. I think this is the best chocolate I¡¯ve ever had!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate! It¡¯s not that amazing! But because you¡¯re my nanny, I¡¯ll give you special permission!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Rere gradually emptied up the chocolate by keeping two for herself and each for me and the nanny. Then, she turned to me as though she thought of something. ¡°Bag.¡± ¡°Why do you need that?¡± ¡°Daddy¡­.. No, I just want to keep it. Since it¡¯s my first time making it.¡± ¡°If you keep it for a long time, you may not be able to eat it. How about eating it right away, miss?¡± ¡°Be quiet! Just because I gave you a few chocolates, you dare to lecture me now?!¡± It didn¡¯t sound like a lecture, though. But something about Rere changed. In the past, she wouldn¡¯t even glance at the nanny after yelling at her, but now, she pushed the chocolate into the nanny¡¯s mouth again. ¡°Eat this and be quiet!¡± ¡°Yes. I will shut my mouth.¡± Meanwhile, I took out the foil wrapper and handed it to Rere. ¡°Here¡¯s the bag.¡± ¡°Mom is a little bit better than my nanny.¡± ¡°What are you going to do with the rest of the chocolate? If you don¡¯t put it in a refrigerator, you can¡¯t eat it¡­.¡± ¡°Quiet. Mom, you talk a lot.¡± Rere, who put the chocolate in the foil wrapper, brushed her nose as if she was satisfied. Thanks to this, Rere¡¯s face, which was already clean, was stained with chocolate again. She went down the stairs and walked out of the kitchen, unaware of her dirty face. ¡°Let¡¯s go now!¡± ¡°To where?¡± ¡°To my room! I have to put it in my treasure house.¡± Rere spoke as she excitedly shook the chocolate bag back and forth. Only then did I follow the child out of the kitchen. The nanny was surprised to see Rere go out with her dirty hands, so she followed us behind after dipping her handkerchief in warm water. The nanny quietly bent over and wiped the dirt off Rere¡¯s hands as if she knew that the child would protest if she told her to clean her hands. ¡°Ah! No. I don¡¯t want it! It¡¯s not dirty!¡± ¡°But, at this rate, the doll will get dirty, and we¡¯d need to wash it. If we wash it, you¡¯ll get upset again¡­¡± ¡°Shut up. Nanny, you¡¯re always threatening me using my ugly. I hate it, but I¡¯ll let it slide just this once.¡± As if she knew her vulnerable spot was the ugly bunny, Rere reluctantly stretched out her hands. She quickly wiped the child¡¯s hands, and she tried to wipe her face as well, but she had to give up since Rere was angry. Eventually, the child, who had a doll in one hand and a bag of chocolate in another hand, stomped away, seemingly annoyed. The nanny and I were forced to follow her. ¡°I thought this activity was trivial. But it was fun. I¡¯ll give you special permission to do it again. When should we do it? Later in the evening? Or tomorrow?¡± How could you say that after shoving that much chocolate into your mouth? I couldn¡¯t hold my smile and wiped off the chocolates from Rere¡¯s nose. Then, I kneeled in front of Rere, pretending to be a servant. ¡°Since the Princess has given me special permission, I shall make it next time.¡± ¡°Right, you should do that!¡± The child¡¯s giggling face was brighter than ever. How fortunate. She seemed to forget what the Duke had done to her earlier. But Rere¡¯s good mood completely sunk at the sight of a familiar figure in front of us. That person, who burst out screaming from quite a distance from the hallway, was none other than Astra. ¡°What a sight!¡± It was either she was always angry, or she was looking for someone to vent her anger at, but Astra approached us with a very angry face. I had this urge to escape from her, but unfortunately, this long hallway did not allow us to escape. In the meantime, Astra strode towards us and quickly twisted her mouth. ¡°Ha. You¡¯re not even a beggar. What is that thing?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Take that off, Rebecca. You¡¯re a princess¡­.. Why on earth are you wearing an apron just like a lowly servant?¡± ¡°Why are you asking? It¡¯s clear that I made chocolate. Can¡¯t you see that because you¡¯re a bunch of crap?¡± ¡°What? Are you telling me a princess made her own chocolate?!¡± Astra, who turned pale, gritted her teeth and glared at Rere. ¡°You must be crazy. I ought to educate you. Everyone, bring the child to me¡­¡± She gave an order out of habit, but there was no one behind her. After realizing it belatedly, Astra pointed at the nanny. ¡°¡­You there! You¡¯re her nanny, right? Unless you¡¯re crazy, you must bring the child to me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m the princess¡¯ nanny. I can¡¯t listen to anyone else¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Her anger flared up, and she tried to slap the nanny, but Rere moved faster. The child walked up to her at once and stepped on Astra¡¯s feet. ¡°Why are you bothering my nanny!¡± ¡°Ack! You must have lost your mind since you hung out with these crazy people!¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong, shithead. You¡¯re the crazy one! How dare you annoy my people!¡± ¡°I tried to forgive you with my generosity, but now, I¡¯ve had enough. Oh, that¡¯s right. If I can¡¯t order that bitch nanny, then I should call someone else.¡± As if she thought of something, Astra pointed her finger to the space behind us. But the maids who always followed us around like a shadow ignored Astra. ¡°How dare lowly maids like you disobey their master?¡± However, their response was worse than the nanny¡¯s as they didn¡¯t even answer her words. In the end, another person caught Astra¡¯s angry eyes. ¡°You. You must be this family¡¯s knight. Bring the child to me. Don¡¯t let her stay with that crazy woman!¡± Only after we heard a sigh of a man did we turned our back at the unexpected figure. As soon as I looked back, I met Luca¡¯s eyes. He walked from behind us just in time, and he looked at me with a slight smile. He had changed his clothes and walked towards Astra. ¡°Are you referring to me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You. You¡¯re this family¡¯s knight, so you must listen to me!¡± Luca only glanced down at Astra with a cruel cold look that he never put on before. ¡°What can I help you with?¡± ¡°Bring that child over there to me right now.¡± ¡°Ah. Do you mean that? I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t want to do that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I shall bring you back to your room for disturbing the miss and Ms. Leona.¡± Luca, who was much taller than Astra, swerved his gaze towards Astra¡¯s arm and grabbed it. ¡°What the hell are you doing!¡± ¡°What am I doing? I¡¯m isolating you.¡± ¡°Let go of me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you heard him clearly say that you should know your place. You¡¯re such a foolish human.¡± ¡°Hey! Wh-What? How did you know what the Duke said to me? Huh!¡± ¡°Get a hold of yourself.¡± He was so strict that he didn¡¯t even look back at us. What would it have been like if the Duke had shown us such a firm side? Rere might have preferred the Duke. I wouldn¡¯t have thought of the Duke so badly. Then, suddenly, Luca¡¯s back overlapped with the Duke¡¯s. I¡¯m not sure why I had those thoughts. There was something similar about them. ¡®It must be because of their hair color.¡¯ It was highly impossible that Luca was similar to the Duke. Thus, I watched Luca¡¯s back for a long time while shaking my head from side to side. Meanwhile, Luca, who had been treating Astra in a completely different way from us, quickly dragged her away. ¡°Luca is the best!¡± Rere, who quietly watched him for a while, lifted her thumb. ¡°Rere, do you like him?¡± ¡°Yes! I wish he was my daddy! My current daddy is so bad!¡± Rere, who grumbled, stared at him for a long time until he completely disappeared. ¡°I see¡­.. By the way, Rere.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°That Luca guy, what is he?¡± ¡°What is he? He¡¯s human!¡± ¡°I know he¡¯s a human¡­.. Hmm, do you know anything else about him?¡± He looked exactly like the Duke. I was asking just in case they were brothers or something, but Rere just shook her head. Then, the nanny broke into our conversation. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of him. Come to think of it, I don¡¯t remember when he got into this house.¡± ¡°No! Nanny¡¯s fool! Luca has been here since I was small!¡± ¡°Is that so, miss?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± At Rere¡¯s words, the two maids nodded, but the nanny seemed to have a strange sense of discomfort. ¡°As far as I remember¡­¡± The nanny looked back at the maids behind her as if she was unable to properly remember something, but they only shook their heads. ¡°Are you sure he was there since miss Rebecca was born?¡± ¡°No, I think it was before that.¡± ¡°No, it was after that.¡± What¡¯s going on? The fact that no one knew the exact time he arrived gave me goosebumps. ¡°None of it matters! Luca is cool!¡± However, Rere raised her thumb as if it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Then¡­what does he do? Is he a knight or¡­¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure.¡± Am I the only one who found it strange? Instead, the nanny and maids only tilted their heads at my question. ¡°Daddy¡¯s job! He¡¯s doing this and that on behalf of my daddy! He¡¯s wearing a knight¡¯s uniform, so he probably works as a knight¡­or not? Ah, I don¡¯t know anymore! Mom, why are you so interested in Luca? Do you like Luca?¡± I shook my head at her question right away. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that. Let¡¯s go back now.¡± ¡°Hmm, suspicious.¡± ¡°What are you saying? Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± I walked past Rere, who was squinting her eyes. ¡°Wait for me!¡± Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Only then did Rere run close to me. However, even after Rere came to my side, my gaze did not turn away from Luca. ¡®What are you really?¡¯ I wanted to ask that question. Why did I feel so out of place every time I saw him? Upon returning to the room, Rere put the chocolate in a pretty box as if she was performing a ritual offering. Chocolate wasn¡¯t the only thing in the box. There was bread left by Rere after one bite and there was the leftover chocolate fondant that she ate so deliciously last time, which she put after saying that she suddenly didn¡¯t feel like eating. As well as withered flowers and small letters. Rere deliberately said it was only a treasure box, but I couldn¡¯t help to notice that it was all the stuff that Rere wanted to give to the Duke. *** A few days later, when I was told that the item I requested had arrived, I went out with Rere to a small garden in front of the mansion¡¯s main gate. It¡¯s the only way you need to take to enter the mansion. So as soon as we arrived, Rere¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Why are we here? What if we run into my daddy?¡± ¡°But the sun shines so warmly here,¡± ¡°Damn¡­I don¡¯t like it.¡± The very distressed child crumpled her face and stomped the floor with her tiny feet. I stroked Rere¡¯s hair and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m going to play sand now. This place is perfect for that.¡± Since that day, the Duke had been avoiding Rere. Meanwhile, Rere seemed to be hurt by his actions and said that she didn¡¯t want to see her daddy anymore. But I know that wasn¡¯t what she truly felt. Rere, who asked to play on the terrace until late at night, was waiting for her daddy who might show up. So, I asked the nanny to prepare the sandbox and set it up in front of his mansion. ¡°Play sand? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Making castles out of sand. Mom used to do it a lot back then.¡± ¡°Precious noble ladies such as myself don¡¯t need to do that!¡± ¡°But still, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fun!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± After looking at the entrance of the mansion for a while, Rere sat on a small chair that was previously arranged. It wasn¡¯t ethical for a precious noble lady to play on the ground. So, I asked the sandbox to be arranged on a table. The nanny, who was willing to do anything for Rere, perfectly embodied my thoughts. On the short and large wooden table, there was sand and various wooden blocks. After blankly looking at it for quite a while, Rere shook her head from side to side and sat on the chair. ¡°I¡¯ll give you special permission since mom wants it! I¡¯m doing this for you.¡± ¡°Of course~ You don¡¯t have to do anything much. Just make a castle using the wooden blocks and fiddle with sand.¡± Rere, who was grumbling, fiddled the sand with her small hands. After a long time, Rere smiled little by little. ¡°Do you want me to make you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good at drawing, too! Everyone is saying that I¡¯m good at it. They would scream each time I draw.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± ¡°But daddy doesn¡¯t like it. He doesn¡¯t like to be drawn¡­or draw anything. He told me not to do it¡­but still! Look at this. I¡¯ll draw mom on the sand!¡± Somehow, I felt like it¡¯s an extension of her sleeping habit. I expected that the maids and nanny told white lies to her, so I only watched the child without much expectation. At that time, her small hand moved quite swiftly, creating a human figure on the sand. It¡¯s unbelievably outstanding that the child did it. Growth varied from child to child, but how could a five-year-old move her hand this perfectly? ¡®Is Rere a little faster?¡¯ As soon as I had that thought, Rere smiled brightly and pointed at the face of the figure that she created with her hands. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Oh¡­! You did well.¡± I was a little surprised. I wasn¡¯t that pretty, but the one that Rere drew on the sand was able to capture my features prettily. Round eyes, small nose, and small lips. Even the soft flowing hair was perfectly drawn. It was even more perfect because the child did it. ¡°Wow. Rere, you¡¯re good at it. Do you think I was that pretty?¡± ¡°Yeah! N0-No! No! Do-Don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m so good that I can only draw pretty things!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah! Tch, I want to do something else!¡± As if she was embarrassed, Rere created a small wall near her drawing and began to fiddle with the sand right next to me. Like she was afraid to ruin my face. Since then, Rere had spent quite a long time building blocks and playing with sand. ¡°It¡¯s fun.¡± ¡°Did you say it¡¯s fun?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s not fun. Only mom is having fun here¡­¡± But suddenly, there was a black shadow in front of us. ¡°Isn¡¯t this just for beggars?¡± It was Astra again. How I wished she would just die, but unluckily, she came again today. Her life seemed to exist only to pick a fight with others. ¡°If you¡¯re going to pick a fight, why don¡¯t you just leave?¡± She would always try to provoke me and end up getting cursed at by Rere. I guess she isn¡¯t tired yet. So, I tried to ignore her as always, but today, Astra came out a little stronger. ¡°Who are you to shun me away? Oh, that¡¯s right. I heard your family is ruined, isn¡¯t it? The Duke saved you from being sold, too?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± That woman didn¡¯t know the boundary. She couldn¡¯t distinguish what to say and what she shouldn¡¯t say in front of a child. My face stiffened. Perhaps she was satisfied with the change in my facial expression, so Astra was getting more fired up. ¡°I¡¯m not wrong, am I? Even if you aren¡¯t suitable to become the Princess¡¯ stepmother, the Duke took you in as a temporary solution. That¡¯s why he bought you with money. I¡¯m sorry to say this, but even if you offer your body to serve the Duke, unfortunately, the Duke seems to hate you more and more as time passes by. Tch.¡± How could one be able to say those things so easily? ¡°Why don¡¯t you just take off your clothes and jump on him? Who knows if you can win him over? Oh, no. Who would think of you as a woman?¡± I snorted mockingly at her who was clearly looking down at me. ¡°So what?¡± I stood up and made eye contact with her. ¡°What difference does it make even if you say that? You¡¯re right, I came here for the money. So what?¡± ¡°Wha-What? If you were getting paid, go throw your bo-¡± ¡°Stupid.¡± ¡°How dare you say I¡¯m stupid?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m talking to myself, though? Do you have any proof that I said you were ¡®stu~pid¡¯?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you were looking straight at me¡­.!¡± Her face turned red. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because unlike the noble me, you¡¯re having eye problems, so you can¡¯t see properly. And unlike me, the official mother and Duchess that didn¡¯t get paid like a certain someone, it was obvious yet you¡¯re still asking for the difference?¡± ¡°Talk all you want. In the end, you can¡¯t even earn the child¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°I¡¯m like this now, but¡­!¡± I smiled brightly at her trembling body. ¡°Oh, come to think of it, where are the maids you¡¯ve been carrying with you, I wonder? Even though you¡¯re a Duchess¡­.. Did all your maids get sent away?¡± ¡°¡­Bi-Bitch, you dare to make fun of me?¡± ¡°Oh, my. How dare I do that to the Duchess. I¡¯m just talking to myself.¡± She shook her hands and clenched her fists. She couldn¡¯t even refute what I said because I¡¯m just spitting facts. Thereafter, we just had a staring showdown for a long time. My eyes were pointed at her sharply as if I¡¯m about to murder her, but of course, I didn¡¯t forget to put on the most innocent smile I¡¯ve ever had. Astra glared at me fiercely as if she was very angry. But Astra¡¯s goal changed drastically around the time when horse hooves were heard from afar. Because the mansion was in the middle of the mountain, there won¡¯t be many situations when ordinary people just appear here. That means the sound of horse hooves was likely coming from the Duke. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not just one or two people coming when I heard a lot of horse hooves. As if Astra had noticed it, she quickly calmed down and changed her target. ¡°Bitch, I will punish you for your impudence later. By the way, Rebecca. You said your daddy wasn¡¯t looking for you, right?¡± ¡°¡­What? What do you want from me, poop.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you keep doing weird things and hanging out with this woman. If you listen to me, you¡¯ll be able to see your daddy every day.¡± Astra waved her hand at Rere in a friendly voice, perhaps because she had decided to reconcile now. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll let you meet your daddy.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± At that time, the horses stopped in front of the mansion. Just as expected, it was the Duke and his knights. As if he had just come back from an outside business, he slowly approached us with his full-dress uniform. ¡°Look, it¡¯s your daddy. If you stay with that woman, your daddy will never come to you forever.¡± ¡°¡­I hate daddy.¡± ¡°Really? Then, I can¡¯t help it.¡± Astra, who smirked, made eye contact with the Duke. At that moment, his cold red eyes swept past Rere, then me, and Astra. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was scolding this woman who made the precious princess play with sand.¡± ¡°¡­Why did you scold her?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sure I warned you. Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± Chapter 24 Chapter 24 The Duke, who clearly expressed his displeasure towards Astra, briefly swerved his gaze towards Astra and I alternately. ¡°That¡¯s.. ¡± ¡°Princess Astra. Remember, you are my wife. So, you just need to stay by my side.¡± Astra, who put an expression as if his words were hard to believe, soon smiled and nodded her head. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m your rightful wife. Unlike a certain someone.¡± Astra stretched her shoulder and crossed her arms as if she had become a winner. ¡°Then, we should have a nice meal together. Let¡¯s just leave someone here.¡± There was no answer. They just went into the castle. And Rere, who looked at them for a long time, got up from her seat and clung to me. ¡°¡­.Mom.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Should I change my daddy?¡± I was surprised by Rere¡¯s sudden bombshell declaration. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°I think¡­I want to change my daddy.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Luca is more like a daddy!¡± After making a conclusion alone, Rere smiled broadly. ¡°Suddenly?¡± But wait. He looked exactly like Duke Ian except for his ruby eyes and shitty personality. Nevertheless, Rere bounced her little head up and down. ¡°Luca loves me so much. Every time he came to visit me, his eyes went ¡®poof¡¯ and he spoke sweetly to me. Anyway, I don¡¯t think ¡®that¡¯ is my daddy.¡± Did you just call him ¡®that¡¯? Meanwhile, the Duke who was downgraded from daddy to ¡®that¡¯ had already gone inside. Well, I hope Rere could heal the wounds she received from the Duke or Astra by thinking this way¡­.even though it didn¡¯t seem right. Even now, she was trying to hide her wounds by exaggerating. ¡°Mom, you like Luca, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like him!¡± ¡°No! Rere saw it. The way you looked at Luca was very unusual. That¡¯s why let¡¯s become family! The three of us! Luca, mom, and Rere!¡± The smiling child happily grabbed my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go in now.¡± ¡°Mom, what do you think of Luca?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± If I had to choose, Luca might be a better option. However, my life was hard enough, so I didn¡¯t have the luxury to choose someone, let alone date. Because of that, I glossed over the end of my words. ¡°Mom, you like him too, right? But you know what, Rere has been so strange lately!¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± I walked slowly, holding the tired-looking child in my arms. ¡°Daddy¡­no, ¡®that¡¯ never asks me about what I wanted. I just want daddy to pat my head and praise me, no, I just want him to stay with me¡­. But, he didn¡¯t do that either.¡± ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Not only that! Daddy never came to Rere¡¯s birthday, not even once.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°A real daddy won¡¯t do that. I read in the book that¡­. fathers valued their children¡¯s birthday more than anyone else¡¯s. So ¡®that¡¯ wasn¡¯t my daddy.¡± ¡°If Rere says so, then it must be right.¡± ¡°Hngg¡­Rere is right¡­Rere¡­Daddy¡­that¡­I hate that so much¡­¡± Rere mumbled for a long time, perhaps exhausted. She then fell asleep in my arms. Of course, she was busy listing out the reason why Duke Ian was not her daddy until she fell asleep. Still, because she played all day long, Rere didn¡¯t wake up until I put her in bed. The nanny, who was gently wiping the child¡¯s body with a warm towel, stroked Rere¡¯s hair with a sad voice. ¡°Our poor miss¡­How hurt you must have been¡­¡± ¡°All this time, Rere was so soft-hearted that she probably didn¡¯t want to reveal that side of her, so she was constantly making thorns. Sadly, that was her way to protect herself.¡± ¡°Aigoo¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s how adults raised this little girl. Especially ¡®that¡¯.¡± The nanny laughed and moved her hand more busily. ¡°I¡¯m sure he had his own reasons. But in fact, I hate my master, too. Why did he have to leave his child unattended?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so upsetting and cruel. What¡¯s so hard about spending a little time with the child?¡± ¡°Even when the miss was younger, miss asked him quietly if he could play with her, but master said that he was busy and firmly said no.¡± The maids next to her only nodded eagerly. It was when my lips were about to let out a terrible curse¡­ ¡°What a piece of tr-¡± ¡­Did I hear someone knocking on the door. Just in case Rere woke up, a maid rushed outside and then came back. ¡°Madam. That trash- oh no, I mean, master says he¡¯s looking for you.¡± I smirked at the news and got up from my seat. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Please come back safely.¡± The nanny and the maids looked at me with a worried look. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll be right back.¡± They were laughing at my words and nodded. Then, I came out and walked with the servant. It¡¯s been a long time since he called me privately, so I felt nervous. Because of that, I quickly arrived in his room. Knock-! Knock-! When I arrived, the servant who accompanied me knocked on the Duke¡¯s luxurious door. I¡¯ve seen him in the drawing-room, but it was my first time going to his room. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Please come in.¡± The servant opened the door as soon as he heard the answer. As soon as I entered, I could easily breathe in a strong smell of alcohol. As expected, there were several bottles of alcohol in his big table, and the Duke sat by the window and looked at me with a dissatisfied look. ¡°What did you call me for?¡± ¡°You played sand with my child, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Children are supposed to grow up doing things like that. It¡¯s good for her development.¡± I wondered why he called me separately. He was busy nitpicking at me again as always. ¡°Development, huh? She¡¯s a princess.¡± ¡°Is there a law that says a princess shouldn¡¯t do that?¡± ¡°You always talk back, huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really wrong, am I? You would hate whatever I do for the child¡¯s sake no matter what, right?¡± There was no answer to my remark. He gritted his teeth and glared at me as if I was a thorn in his flesh. ¡°I hate you so much. If only you didn¡¯t cross the line just like everyone else¡­.!¡± I felt the same way. Did you think I like you either? ¡°What exactly is the line I shouldn¡¯t cross according to you? Just let it be? To turn my back on the child and just enjoy my luxurious life?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Or do you want me to become a Duchess in name only and live like a wicked person?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to do that, why do you even need a mother figure?¡± ¡°Are you trying to lecture me?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m only asking. Is that what you think a mother is like? Is that what a father is like?¡± The Duke, whose voice sounded a little more diminished than before, looked out the window without saying a word. Somewhat, he looked a little lonely. Just like a man who was notified by his girlfriend for 10 years to break up. ¡®As if you were the only one hurt. I don¡¯t like how you sound. As if you were the only one carrying all the wounds in the world. You have no idea how cruel you are to your child.¡¯ It sounded like I overlooked his wounds, but for me, the wound that Rere received was more important than him. Because it broke my heart more. So, I took a step closer to the Duke. ¡°Have you ever asked the child what she wanted?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What does the child like? What games does she enjoy?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been informed about all that.¡± ¡°Have you ever seen it in person?¡± The Duke, who was mumbling his words, looked at me with an uncomfortable look. However, as if my words hit the spot, he was unable to retort. ¡°She doesn¡¯t feel happy just because you gave her expensive and nice stuff. What¡¯s so important about petty toys?¡± For a five-year-old girl, it¡¯s important to have a father who always showed his face or a father who looked at her instead of giving her a lot of toys, but he didn¡¯t know that. ¡®More like you don¡¯t want to know that.¡¯ ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you here to get advice from you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Then, why did you call me? Didn¡¯t you call for me because you were curious about Rere?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Then listen.¡± Just listen and eat it up. I wanted to say bad words, but my survival instinct prevented me from doing so. ¡°What do you want me to listen to? Listen to you?¡± ¡°¡­Ha. Listen to Rere.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What does she want to do? What does she want?¡± I gave him my sincerest advice. Perhaps it went through him since the color in his eyes came back. ¡°¡­.Now I understand.¡± ¡°Understand what?¡± ¡°Right. Now that I think about it, I can see why you were different from other mothers.¡± Was that a good thing, or a bad thing? He grinned, got up from his seat, and moved past me. ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°Suddenly?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t need you anymore. I finally figured it out.¡± He looked determined as if he just made a big invention, but on the other hand, there was visible anxiety on his face. But the Duke who was sitting at his desk didn¡¯t seem to care about me anymore, so I had to get out of there. ¡°Seriously¡­¡± I told you to listen to the child, and you shouldn¡¯t have made that expression. ¡°But that must be a good thing, right? I¡¯m sure he understands. He was smart after all.¡± When I sighed at those thoughts, a familiar person appeared in front of me. ¡°Did you have a good talk?¡± ¡°¡­Ah. It¡¯s you.¡± It was Luca. The servant who brought me here a while ago nor the servant who was guarding the door couldn¡¯t be found. Rather, Luca reached out his hand to me. ¡°May I take you to your room?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± ¡°I saw you get lost a few times.¡± He strode forward to me with a grin. Just when did you see me get lost in the way? I didn¡¯t get lost that often, probably only four or five times. I didn¡¯t want to trouble May, so I got better because I worked hard to remember the way. When did you see me? When I couldn¡¯t answer for a long time, Luca naturally reached out for her hand. ¡°So I¡¯ll take you there.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I already know the way to my room¡­.¡± It was then¡­ I definitely knew the way to the room because I remember coming here with Rere last time, but my head suddenly turned white. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 ¡°Do you know the way?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Then, please allow me to lead the way. Let¡¯s go.¡± This guy exuded such a mysterious energy. Every time I saw him, I felt like some place inside my head was being stirred. But my body was already following him. As if I was possessed by something. I couldn¡¯t stand the discomfort and called him out first. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Please call me Luca comfortably.¡± Somehow, he felt like the Duke although he had a much friendlier face. Since I had never been alone with Luca, I spat out all of the curiosity in my head. ¡°Okay, Mr. Luca. Who are you?¡± ¡°No, not your official position, you¡­ what are you?¡± His face, who laughed tenderly at my words before, suddenly hardened, and his stride stopped. ¡°It¡¯s my first time hearing this, so I¡¯m a little flustered. I have no idea about what you¡¯re asking.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more flustered than you. Are you a wizard¡­or something like that? Why do strange things happen when you¡¯re there?¡± ¡°Is there something like that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend like you don¡¯t know. Don¡¯t you know how strange you are?¡± Only then did he smile and nod. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not strange. You asked if I¡¯m a wizard¡­ Maybe in a way, that could be true.¡± A wizard was an existence who had disappeared from this world. I couldn¡¯t believe he said he was a wizard confidently. With shock and bewilderment, I took a step back. ¡°You¡¯re a wizard. Then why¡­ did you intrude here?¡± ¡°Intrude?¡± ¡°Nobody knows where you came from and how you got here. Maybe the Duke didn¡¯t know as well. So I¡¯m curious. For some reason, you¡¯ve intruded this place, yet how do you get along naturally with people?¡± ¡°I am¡­¡± After a long pause, he smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just a person. I don¡¯t know why everyone can¡¯t remember me, but I¡¯m a normal person. Of course, I can do a little magic. Just like how I erased your memories a little while ago.¡± The man who was in front of me folded his open hands. Then, a small flame flickered and disappeared. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± At that moment, I remembered the way to Rere¡¯s room again. At the sudden reveal, I stepped back and raised my defense against him. ¡°Ha¡­ you¡­ W-What are you!¡± ¡°What am I, you say? I just held your memory for a while. It¡¯s nothing strange.¡± I became more alert around him. Was it because of the strange feelings I felt every time I saw Luca? ¡°But do you know that? You are the first person to describe me as an ¡®intruder¡¯. Someone who doubted my identity. You are an amazing person for sure.¡± As soon as I learned of his identity, I became incredibly wary of him. Even though our distance was quite far away, anxiety came over me. I was more worried because there weren¡¯t even people around. ¡°¡­Why the hell are you here? Why are you¡­being so nice to Rere? What do you want from my daughter?¡± ¡°My daughter? That sounds nice to hear. But don¡¯t worry, Ms.Leona. I¡¯m not a bad person. I¡¯m just the one who wants everything to work out well¡­¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be a good person especially to you. You¡¯re such an amazing person to me. You¡¯re the only one who can fill the gap. So please don¡¯t be wary of me. I adore you, and I want to protect your warm heart.¡± But I had already stepped back from him. Look at how smooth-spoken he was. Usually, smooth-talkers were swindlers. Especially if a handsome person was kind and eloquent, he would be 100% a swindler. ¡®He¡¯s a swindler. What do I do now? Is there no one around? Should I tell the Duke about this?¡¯ Then, he scurried to come to my side. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be on guard.¡± ¡°¡­Are you a swindler? Are you here to deceive us? What do you want from this family?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not a swindler. There won¡¯t be any swindler in the world that would reveal his own identity.¡± ¡°Originally, swindlers have a way with words like this. They don¡¯t hesitate to show their intention.¡± I¡¯m sure he was a swindler. ¡°I¡¯ve taken a liking to you.¡± Like the night breeze, he swiftly leaned towards me. The strange scent from him was similar to the Duke¡¯s. ¡°I swear on my everything that I will never put you, Rere, or the Duke in danger.¡± ¡°No. I can¡¯t believe it. How can I trust you when I don¡¯t even know your true colors!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make you believe me.¡± ¡°¡­Just like how you manipulate other people¡¯s memories so they¡¯d think of you positively?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never touched other people¡¯s feelings. I just altered their memories for a while. But I never mess with anyone¡¯s hearts.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± His golden eyes clearly stared at me. Luca¡¯s golden pupils were clear as if there were no lies behind his words. ¡°I will do my best for you, too. So that you can trust me. Please trust me this once. I promise with my entire existence on stake. I will make a pledge before you.¡± ¡°Pledge?¡± At that moment, he reached out his palm to me. ¡°I, Luca. I promise you right in this place. If I lie to Leona Selen, my whole existence will perish.¡± At the moment, his palm flashed. Even strange patterns appeared. ¡°Ju-Just now¡­¡± ¡°If I break my words, I will perish.¡± ¡°¡­Ha.¡± I hate to believe it. I want to deny and doubt him more, but I couldn¡¯t give any more doubts to one person. ¡®Strange. That pattern on Luca. I think I know for some reason. I could definitely feel the magic circle [The Pledge of Words].¡¯ It was strange. Even though Leona was not aware of the disappearance of magic, information was loaded on my head. ¡°Can¡¯t you believe me even when I do this? I¡¯m not a bad person.¡± ¡°Well, that¡­¡± I wanted to say how could I ever believe him, but my head had already believed in his pledge. Plus, the information in Leona¡¯s head had convinced me. And as I muttered silently, he smiled and stepped back. ¡°Please look forward to it. I¡¯ll prove my innocence. This is enough for today. Ms. Leona, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± As I looked around, we had arrived in front of Rere¡¯s room. ¡°How is this possible¡­¡± A while ago, I stopped with him in the middle of the hallway. I didn¡¯t move at all because I was wary and shocked, but now I was in front of the room. ¡°Well, it may be that Ms. Leona¡¯s heart wants to go back to Rere¡¯s room quickly so it was reflected.¡± He smiled and turned my body sideways. ¡°Well, please take care of Rere, because only you can turn Rere into a normal child.¡± Then, Luca opened the door as if he was trying to avoid talking with me any longer. As if that was not enough, he even shut the door. As I thought I was pushed inside, I opened the door again in bewilderment and looked outside, but I couldn¡¯t see Luca¡¯s appearance anywhere. ¡°Ah¡­¡± I even started to see the appearances of the maids whom I couldn¡¯t see until a while ago. When I suddenly came out of the room and looked around, the maids looked at me in puzzlement. I had no choice but to go into the room. ¡°Madam!¡± The nanny, who was sleeping, quickly got up from her seat and approached me. ¡°Oh my God. Why is your face like that!¡± I swept my face at her words. ¡°Oh, huh? What¡¯s wrong with my face?¡± ¡°You have a blank expression ¡­. By any chance, did the master say something strange?¡± ¡°No. He didn¡¯t say anything. Just¡­ Luca.¡± ¡°Sir Luca?¡± I shook my head from side to side as I watched the nanny¡¯s expression change to a puzzled look at the word Luca. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just saying that I think I saw him.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. So why don¡¯t you take a rest, madam? Miss Rebecca fell asleep deeply.¡± ¡°Yes. I will. Nanny, please rest now as well. I will stay here.¡± Smiling at my words, the nanny bowed her head and stepped outside. Only after I heard the sound of the door closing very quietly did I lean next to Lere, who was lying alone on a large bed. I could only hear the breath of the child who slept soundly. As if to show that she fell into a deep sleep, Rere, who held her doll, wasn¡¯t even moving even though the bed shook while I was lying down. ¡°Rere, about Luca, what is that person really like?¡± I ended up not being able to ask any questions clearly. I should have asked him thoroughly. Who is he and what the hell is he hiding? However, even if I turned the time again, I am not confident in asking him properly. For some reason, his harmless face seemed to have magical power to make me believe him. As I am now, I suddenly decided that he¡¯s not a bad person. ¡°I¡¯m also part of the problem, too¡­. Still, he¡¯s not a bad person. He¡¯s better than anyone else to Rere.¡± I hugged the child in my arms. If I just tell the child not to get close to that person anymore, I¡¯m sure it would be fine. ¡®And I have to find out¡­ Is the magic circle he showed me really the magic circle called [Pledge of Words]?¡¯ Even after the magic circle, which seemed complicated, was completely embedded in my head. If I look at the magic circle once again, I would be able to recognize it right away since it was so distinct in my head. ¡®How on earth does Leona know about that?¡¯ However, there was nothing to gain even if I thought of it all night. All I can do now was to wrap up the day next to Rere. ¡°Rere, Good night.¡± Chapter 26 Chapter 26 A few days later, just after a lunch break, the Duke came to the room after a long time. Rere, who was drawing on paper, hardened when an unexpected person appeared. ¡°¡­Why did you come!¡± The Duke, who would normally be clueless of what to do with Rere, showed up confidently. ¡°A guest will come today. I came to inform you of that.¡± ¡°Guest?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure Rere will love them. So get ready.¡± His words gave me anxiety. That day, that night, even though I told him to communicate with Rere, the Duke never spared some of his time for Rere. Even so, I couldn¡¯t believe he would invite a guest so suddenly. ¡°No.¡± As expected, Rere¡¯s reaction was sharp. ¡°What?¡± ¡°No! I won¡¯t go even if a guest comes!¡± ¡°¡­Rere.¡± ¡°I get it now, so stop being annoying and get out. I don¡¯t want to see you.¡± Rere¡¯s anger was worse than ever, which was understandable. Her daddy, who never looked for her even once, informed her that a guest would come. But the Duke crumpled his face when he saw such a child. ¡°¡­How long will you act like a kid? If you don¡¯t prepare, I¡¯ll let the guests come to this room, so take care of it yourself.¡± The Duke didn¡¯t know that if he strongly repressed the child, the child would become more and more deviant, but he left the room with a lot of grumpiness. ¡°Stupid.¡± As soon as he went out, Rere vented her anger as if she had been waiting and crumpled her drawing. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not fun. I want to do something else.¡± ¡°Yeah. What do you want to do next?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to play with the rabbit.¡± Just by quietly looking at her, it¡¯s easy to know if the child was in a good mood or bad mood¡­ ¡®Why doesn¡¯t the Duke try to see the child? Why won¡¯t he listen to me?¡¯ ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Mom¡­ Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious about what Rere is doing. What you like, what you are thinking about today, and how you are feeling.¡± ¡°But why is ¡®that¡¯ not curious about me at all?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Rere¡¯s mouth sulked as if she had been seriously hurt by his actions. ¡°Mom, do you love Rere?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°¡­Then, I guess ¡®that¡¯ hates me.¡± ¡°¡­Rere.¡± ¡°I think we need to work on the plan to change my daddy quickly. I hate it if ¡®that¡¯ keeps pretending to be my daddy.¡± Having said that, Rere took a piece of paper out of the bag that the rabbit doll was carrying. Then, she jotted things down on paper. [Change Daddy. I will beat my daddy now. I will beat him hard. Make a fool of him. I¡¯ll make Luca my daddy and marry my mom!], Then, a sentence was added above the text. [I will sew my daddy¡¯s mouth with a needle.] As I looked at it, I smiled and picked up a rabbit doll. ¡°Then shall we play now?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­! Let¡¯s play!¡± Only then did Rere move the rabbit in her arms as if she had regained her energy. Today, the scene was about the rabbit having a party, and I, nanny, and the maids had to play along with her. ¡°Today¡¯s star is our ugly rabbit. It¡¯s ugly, but the rabbit, whose heart is kinder than anyone else¡¯s, is happy to meet the wonderful Prince Luca!¡± ¡°Is Rere the ugly rabbit?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s mom. Mom is kind. Different from me¡­¡± ¡°Rere is also nice.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Rere, who was moving the ugly rabbit around, couldn¡¯t hide her surprise. ¡°I¡¯m saying that Rere is nicer than any child. Mom knows for sure.¡± ¡°¡­Mom is the only one who told me such a thing. ¡®That¡¯ and all the new moms said I was bad¡­¡± Rere mumbled quietly and looked down at the floor. No one had confronted Rere¡¯s true feelings before and understood why Rere had to behave that way. ¡°Our Rere is not bad. They don¡¯t know how deep your heart is.¡± ¡°Yes! Rere is nice.¡± Rere, who smiled so brightly until her eyes couldn¡¯t be seen, moved the ugly rabbit happily. In the meantime, quite a bit of time has passed. An hour or so after the duke left, I was trying to ask the maids to prepare a snack for the child. Suddenly, it became noisy outside. The door, which had been closed, opened up. ¡°Rere.¡± Then the Duke¡¯s voice was heard at the same time. While Rere, who had her back on the door, shouted without looking behind her back as if she was truly annoyed. ¡°I said I didn¡¯t want to meet anyone!¡± However, it was not the duke¡¯s voice that she heard after. ¡°Hello, Princess Rebecca Petri. I am Lily, the Princess of Cuffs Dukedom.¡± Instead of the duke¡¯s answer, the voices of young girls came. ¡°¡­What?¡± Only then did Rere turn around. Two children came through the door. The two beautifully dressed children bowed down and greeted Rere politely. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Jayna Nedira, who was invited to a glorious tea time with the two princesses. I am the second daughter of Count Nedira. Please call me Jay comfortably.¡± Rere, who had been sitting there since a while ago, quickly got up from her seat. All of us in the room were surprised by the sudden situation. The Duke, who had done all this, stretched out his shoulders as if he were confident and gave Rere a lecture that didn¡¯t sound like a lecture at all. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about what you need, and I figured it out. A friend who will do everything with you. A friend who will spend time with you open-mindedly. That¡¯s what you need, right?¡± Rere clenched her fist while looking at the people who greeted her. How could he choose the wrong method among all of the solutions possible? But as if he had made the right choice, the Duke smiled and approached the open door. ¡°Then, have an enjoyable tea time. Daddy put a lot of effort to invite those ladies from good households, so they must be clever.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°At dinner time, make sure to tell daddy what you were talking about today.¡± ¡°¡­See you later. Duke.¡± As if projecting her own mind, Rere gritted her teeth and glared at him. The Duke, who was about to leave, flinched at the word ¡®duke¡¯. ¡°Rere. What did you just¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you later. Duke.¡± ¡°To daddy¡­.. How can you call me duke¡­¡± ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± The Duke, who was trying to say something more, nodded with a deep sigh as the eyes of everyone in the room turned to him. ¡°Yeah. See you later. Rere.¡± ¡°Yes, please go out. Duke.¡± He thought he made the right choice, but he looked horrible as if he couldn¡¯t figure out why Rere behaved like that. That made me feel stuffy. My inside was stuffy as if I ate a sweet potato at night. (T/N : ??? sweet potato ; used to express frustration or impatience) The duke reacted as if he had never been sprayed by cider before and stared at Rere with a hurtful expression. I¡¯d say he was determined if I was to speak politely and stubborn if I was to speak bluntly. (T/N :??? cider ; Saying something straightforward, hurtful truth. So the duke acted like he had never been criticized before.) You don¡¯t even know how much you might find out about the child if you had just stayed with her for 10 minutes. Don¡¯t tell me you meant this when you said you understood something that night? If that was the case, then you are the biggest idiot in this world. Meanwhile, the two children, who had not yet come into the room, were busy standing and looking around the room. Rere looked at the nanny as if she thought she couldn¡¯t help it. He said he was going to leave, but he still stood near the door like a man who was attached to something. The Duke, who was standing sloppily, was pushed by the nanny and disappeared through the closed door. Only then did the two little young girls who finished their greetings step inside. ¡°I guess this is the princess¡¯ room. It¡¯s pretty¡­ cute?¡± She said ¡®cute¡¯, but her voice didn¡¯t convey the same thing. Princess Lily of Cuffs, who has blonde hair and golden eyes, looked around as if she was disgusted and made eye contact with Rere. ¡°It feels like I¡¯m looking at my sister¡¯s room. It¡¯s very cute.¡± Jayna, who has bluish hair that looks similar to Rere¡¯s, laughed as if she was amazed. Rere, who looked at them uncomfortably, pointed at the table with a chin gesture lightly. ¡°¡­Sit there.¡± The two young ladies then climbed to the chairs, whereas Rere joined the table one step later. ¡°I will prepare tea and milk.¡± The nanny, who was stiffened by this sudden situation like me, came out first to prepare tea. Meanwhile, Lily, who was looking around while turning her head back and forth, made eye contact with Rere. ¡°Allow me to greet you again. Thank you for inviting me to your small tea party.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t invite you. As you can see, the Duke invited you.¡± The color of the two girls¡¯ faces darkened while watching Rere clearly draw a line. To be exact, Princess Lily¡¯s face was full of wrinkles. Then, as if she thought it shouldn¡¯t work like this, Princess Lily let out words in a slow yet calm voice again. ¡°I see. It¡¯s true that I was invited anyway. More than that, there are a lot of rabbit dolls here, Princess Rebecca.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I also liked dolls very much when I was younger.¡± Lily¡¯s snickering face was full of ridicule. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t dolls and stuff like that just for babies?¡± There was no way she didn¡¯t know those words were intended to make fun of Rere, which is why Rere¡¯s face has become more distorted than before. ¡°Actually, we were a little surprised. I heard that Princess Rebecca was confined to her own home, but I suddenly heard that she was looking for friends. Not to mention, His Grace, the Duke himself, was personally looking for them.¡± At Lily¡¯s words, Jayna, who was waving her tail with shining eyes just like a puppy, hurriedly responded. ¡°I know right. That¡¯s why I and Princess Lily specially came to this place.¡± ¡°Specially, huh?¡± Rere¡¯s red eyes glared at them fiercely. At that time, the nanny hurriedly set up the glasses in front of them and filled Rere¡¯s glass with white milk. ¡°How about the young ladies? Do you want some milk?¡± Then, Jayna shook her head and sneered. ¡°Oh my god, milk? That¡¯s something little kids drink.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯d like some tea.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like some tea, too.¡± Both Lily and Jayna laughed at the sight of the milk. Why did you ignore Rere like that after coming as a friend? I almost intervened between them. ¡°What?¡± Eventually, Rere, who was holding back, opened her mouth, but she was stopped by them again. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 ¡°Ah. Princess may drink milk, but we all drink tea. Right, Lady Jayna?¡± ¡°Yes. I drink tea, too. My one-year-old brother also drinks tea. Isn¡¯t milk just for babies?¡± ¡°But I understand. Looking at this room, it seems like Princess Rebecca couldn¡¯t escape from being a baby.¡± That wasn¡¯t something they could say without any ill-intention. The two people, who insulted Rere, slightly heaved the teacup in front of them. ¡°The scent of the tea is also good.¡± ¡°Duke Petri¡¯s tea is excellent. I think this is the best tea I¡¯ve ever tasted.¡± ¡°It was nicely brewed, too. It¡¯s different from milk.¡± ¡°Milk of all things? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to drink milk, Princess Rebecca.¡± With a voice full of ridicule, Lily was busy laughing. ¡°We¡¯re saying this because we are worried about the Princess.¡± In the end, Rere couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and glared at them. ¡°Worried, my ass. You¡¯re sitting there talking shit about me.¡± ¡°Princess Rebecca. What did you just say¡­¡± ¡°I said you¡¯re sitting there talking shit. You¡¯re sitting there like a shit.¡± ¡°H-Huh? Just now¡­¡± Rere, who was wriggling her nose, didn¡¯t feel any intimidation. On the contrary, she looked relaxed as if she returned to her original self. ¡°So let me ask you¡­ Are you saying that those who drink milk are babies?¡± ¡°Yes, of course!¡± The two children, who had forgotten about their irritation just a while ago, took turns answering Rere¡¯s question. Rere, who marched on like a bulldozer, neither seemed like she cared about their words nor hurt by it. Rather, she just looked at them and made an expression as if it was ridiculous. ¡°You guys are adults?¡± ¡°Yes, if you drink tea, you are an adult.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s drink tea.¡± However, unlike what they said, the two young ladies didn¡¯t drink tea right away. Rather, they were busy dropping the sugar cubes piled up in a transparent bowl into their glass. They kept stirring it and adding more cubes to the point that it made it difficult for the sugar to melt due to the quantity. As I watched them, I ended up speaking out. ¡°Oh my god, if you put that much sugar in, you may not be able to taste the tea.¡± ¡°¡­Are you talking to us? A maid like you?¡± ¡°No. No way. I¡¯m just talking to myself. In fact, I was a little surprised that young ladies such as yourself were drinking tea. But adding that much sugar doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re drinking tea.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what¡¯s so different about drinking sugar water? Rather, it¡¯s better to drink milk. That way, you¡¯ll grow taller.¡± Actually, I knew it wasn¡¯t my place to interrupt. However, I couldn¡¯t bear to see those kids foolishly looking down at Rere. Eventually, Jayna glared at me and screamed back. ¡°Hey. Who are you!¡± ¡°How can such an insignificant woman, whose identity is unknown, dares to jump into our conversation?¡± As Jayna took the lead, Lily pretended to respond with elegance. ¡°What? She¡¯s my mom.¡± Rere, with a much more relaxed expression than before, grabbed my hand as if she was confident. Apparently stunned at the unexpected answer, they just mumbled. ¡°But the princess¡¯s mother¡­¡± The eyes of the two young ladies immediately turned to me. ¡°Anyone can see that she looks like a maid.¡± ¡°I heard the Duchess is here.¡± Rere put the glass down firmly as though she was displeased with their gaze and words toward me. ¡°If I said she¡¯s my mom, she¡¯s my mom. For me, she¡¯s my only mom. And you. Each person has his or her own taste. Just because you¡¯re a young lady of a noble family, you pretended to act like an adult? How uncomfortable.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not wrong. You want to act like an adult, right? But let me tell you, you guys are still kids.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t come here because you wanted to be friends with me, right? Your parents must have ordered you to do so. It¡¯s the daughter of Duke Ian Petri, so get closer with her. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°Princess. Your words are too¡­¡± Lily tried to deny her words, but Rere wasn¡¯t a child to be intimidated by such remarks. Rather, Rere expressed her heart as if she had been waiting. ¡°What you guys are doing to me is basically a mockery. How dare you look down on me when you¡¯re only a guest!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not looking down on you¡­!¡± ¡°If not, then what? Are you saying you want to get buddy-buddy with me by using those filthy mouths?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Tell me again. What about dolls, what about milk¡­!¡± Then Lily stood up from her seat and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this really an insult to us? As friends, we only gave advice to the princess.¡± ¡°Giving advice to the other party who doesn¡¯t want it is not a piece of advice but an insult, you know?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°How dare such a trivial thing like you look down on me?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s really humiliating.¡± As if she didn¡¯t even think she had done anything wrong, Lily, who got up first, looked down at Rere and gnashed her teeth. ¡°Humiliating, huh? I thought you guys have class, but it turns out you have none. What¡¯s the point of imitating an adult? You don¡¯t even have basic etiquette. How dare something worse than a street beggar come to be my friend.¡± Rere didn¡¯t lose a word to them. It was their first time hearing such sharp words, so Princess Lily opened her mouth with much difficulty. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s true. I look down on you. Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to come. There are many rumors saying that you¡¯re not even a real princess. Who wants to come anyway?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Although my father told me to get close to you, I can¡¯t stand it anymore because you¡¯re pathetic. Princess Astra said that you weren¡¯t really a noble just like your mother, so I guess it¡¯s true.¡± When the word ¡®Astra¡¯ popped up, a smile spread over Rere¡¯s face. ¡°Ah, I was wondering who said those things about me. Was it that woman? That chunk of shit?¡± ¡°¡®That chunk of shit¡¯ came out from a princess¡¯ mouth? How can you stoop that low¡­!¡± ¡°You guys are the ones who stoop so low. Eating up those ridiculous rumors so rashly. Damn it.¡± Was it because both of them were princesses? Lily was busy ganging up on Rere without thinking about the consequences. Jayna, who said that she was taking her side, didn¡¯t help much. ¡°Ha¡­ Even if we both come from a ducal family¡­our education must be completely different. How does someone who receives an education in the dukedom speak only those lowly words¡­This matter¡­ I¡¯ll tell my father¡­!¡± At her words, Rere jumped up from her seat. ¡°Sure, go ahead. I will also do the same. The princess who came to be my friend was busy insulting me. After hearing strange rumors, she was busy ganging up on me like a wild bull.¡± ¡°Ga-Ganging up? When did you hear something like that¡­!¡± ¡°Everyone here heard that though?¡± At Rere¡¯s words, I, nanny, and the maids who were in the room nodded. ¡°Because everyone here is on the princess¡¯ side¡­! Th-That can¡¯t be a testimony!¡± ¡°Yeah right, that¡¯s possible. If you¡¯re so confident, go and tell your parents. Every single thing you have done. I¡¯ll also tell my daddy that all the kids who came here looked down on me and mocked my birth. It¡¯s me! You insulted Rebecca Petri!¡± ¡°That¡¯s!¡± ¡°Shut up. Do you know what you¡¯ve done? The Duke of Petri said I¡¯m his daughter, and His Majesty the Emperor also acknowledged that I have the duke¡¯s blood, yet you denied it.¡± The faces of the two children turned white. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of background you have to be this cheeky, but you deemed the word of His Majesty, the Sun of the Empire, as false, therefore accusing him as being dishonest. You know that, right? Are you stupid?¡± Rere¡¯s voice was strong and dominant. My daughter, you did so well. In the end, the two young ladies, who had been engrossed in their own thoughts, got up and were busy shaking their heads. ¡°Oh, no. That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°So who has the upper hand here?¡± Which one was more powerful? Even if she was from a Ducal family, the power weighted depending on which one was more needed. Fortunately, the power of Duke Ian Petri was clearly stronger. That is because the Duke of Petri did some dirty work that the Emperor didn¡¯t want to touch, but he also had a big mana stone mine. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t easy to brush past the fact that the two ladies mentioned ¡®Rere¡¯s birth¡¯. Everyone bowed down and was unable to talk. Because it was the topic that would make even the duke himself reveal his agitation every time it was brought up. Eventually, Lily, who had been fighting with Rere for a long time, bowed her head. Perhaps she thought she needed to do something to fix this, so she opened her lips. ¡°I-I think I made a big mistake.¡± ¡°Mistake? No. You never made a mistake. All you did was move your arrogant mouth lightly.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not so different from the social world that you want to imitate so badly. You like to look down on others and gossip about others¡¯ weaknesses. It¡¯s very similar. You guys are going to be social stars.¡± Rere was busy laughing at them. ¡°So keep going. You guys, who will be the big stars of the social world, should know better now. The weight of the words you spoke, to be exact. But it¡¯s not fun to just stop here, right?¡± Rere couldn¡¯t stop smiling and urged the two. ¡°Please look down on me more. Only then will it be fun, right? I wonder how my daddy will react when he finds out that you guys made fun of my birth¡­¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Will he compliment you for being a good friend? Or will he file a formal complaint against your family? Considering my daddy¡¯s personality, he might tell his Majesty the Emperor about this.¡± Jayna hurriedly lowered her head and said, ¡°Princess, we are¡­.¡± But Rere was not a child to step back from there. Rather, Rere had been so compliant all this time. As if Rere couldn¡¯t tolerate anything now, Rere looked down at the two children while snorting. ¡°You know what? You should have listened to the rumor properly. Didn¡¯t you do any research on me?¡± Chapter 28 Chapter 28 ¡°Princess¡­please listen to us.¡± Jayna shook her head with an ashen face as if she would fall down right away. ¡°No. I¡¯m going to say what I want. You guys, there¡¯s one thing you haven¡¯t heard. I don¡¯t live in distress. Do you know what that means? That means I¡¯m going to go to my daddy right now and make a fuss. I¡¯m curious about what will happen.¡± My daughter did a great job. ¡°And one more thing. You¡¯ll be punished greatly for cursing at my mom.¡± ¡°Bu-But your mom¡­.. Your mom is not her!¡± Perhaps because she thought that was her only way to survive, Lily screamed back. ¡°Do you mean Astra? That poop? Absolutely not. She¡¯s just an old fox living in the back room who contributes nothing for the Petri Dukedom, let alone become a mother.¡± ¡°Bu-But¡­.¡± ¡°Stop saying ¡®but¡¯. Since it¡¯s the truth that the person next to me is my mom. More than that, you guys insulted my mom. I¡¯m taking this matter¡­¡± ¡°Th-That woman¡­rumor says¡­¡± ¡°Rumor? What rumor? She¡¯s the only mom I¡¯ve ever acknowledged as a princess. You guys who cursed at my mom are the same as cursing me.¡± I naturally cheered for Rere by holding her hand tighter than she held mine. ¡°¡­Princess. We¡­.. We just did what we were ordered to do!¡± At that time, Jayna¡¯s body trembled because she was unable to win against Rere. ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± As if surprised by the unexpected course of events, Rere¡¯s temper lessened. ¡°Unlike Princess Lily, I don¡¯t want this to reach my parents¡¯ ears¡­I-I only moderately responded to the conversation¡­that¡¯s why I¡­¡± Rere¡¯s eyes naturally turned to her. ¡°What are you talking about? Whose order is it? What is the order?¡± ¡°¡­Disregard the princess¡­.. That way, we can be a great help to the dukedom¡­¡± ¡°Are you saying Astra ordered you to do it?¡± Neither of them answered, but Rere nodded as if she understood. ¡°¡­.Seriously.¡± ¡°We were told to break the princess¡¯ bad habit. And you need a scolding¡­that¡¯s why we¡­¡± ¡°Shut up. Jayna.¡± Lily tried to silence Jayna as if she still couldn¡¯t accept it, but Jayna shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know about this matter. Anyway, I¡¯m sorry if I offended Princess Rebecca.¡± Jayna¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. I didn¡¯t know about what words she heard, but she certainly was sincere in asking not to let her family know about this. Looking at these two alternatively, Rere finally pouted her lips. ¡°But still, Lily, you¡¯re arrogant. It would have been better to be honest like Jayna. Okay then, I¡¯ll do whatever I want.¡± Lily¡¯s face turned pale at her words. ¡°Huh, what do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to tell my daddy about your arrogance and get a formal apology from your family.¡± Only then did she shake her head in a hurry. ¡°Ho-Hold on.¡± ¡°Hold on, my ass. I was about to end it after I got an apology, but you won¡¯t even tell me the person behind all this mess¡­¡± Only then did Lily shake her head with trembling lips. ¡°¡­Oh, no. I¡¯ll tell you. That¡¯s right, princess. We were told to do this.¡± ¡°Hoo¡­ Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. She said everything would be fine. She told us to look down on you and mention your birth. She said you¡¯ll be discouraged if we do that¡­The Duchess said¡­.if something goes wrong, Duchess Astra¡¯s household, Arvida Dukedom, will support us.¡± She was tossing out this big matter to these children. Rere shook her head as if she felt the same way as me. ¡°¡­What an amazing woman. Pretending to be my mom until the end. Too bad, that woman is worth nothing. And now that I heard it, it pisses me off even more.¡± ¡°Pardon? Are you going to tell the duke?¡± ¡°Glad you know that.¡± Rere, who smiled broadly, said it like it was a threat. As a result, the two ladies hurried out. And as soon as they went out, Rere buried herself among the rabbits and hugged ¡®Ugly¡¯. As if gritting her teeth wouldn¡¯t be enough to appease her anger, Rere started to pound the floor. ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go meet ¡®that¡¯. I¡¯m going to scold him so bad.¡± It was quite different from the attitude she showed to the two ladies before. ¡°Are you going to see your daddy?¡± ¡°¡®That¡¯ is not my daddy.¡± Rere, who was being stubborn, took my hand and led me. It would be better to scream angrily and lose her temper like usual, but Rere only walked casually as if such neglect were common things. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± ¡°This is why I hate kids. Dumb and absurd. But daddy brought them in. Last year, the kids he brought in to be friends with me were also like that.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, yeah?¡± ¡°Daddy¡­no, ¡®that¡¯ never learned his lesson. I went crazy back then, but I can¡¯t believe he brought them again this time. How foolish. No one can be like that unless he¡¯s a fool!¡± Meanwhile, Rere arrived in front of Duke¡¯s room. ¡°Open it.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes¡­.miss.¡± As it was familiar, the attendant hurriedly opened the door. Then, I could see the Duke walking back and forth anxiously. ¡°Rere!¡± He ran towards her with great joy because he thought Rere was looking for him, but Rere kicked him in the leg as hard as she could. ¡°Agh..!¡± ¡°¡­Have you gone crazy just because I spoiled you too much?¡± Rere pointed at the Duke with a very distorted face. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°What are those!¡± ¡°What do you mean by those?¡± ¡°The girls you brought earlier!¡± As if he had finally come to his senses, the Duke smiled awkwardly. ¡°Rere, didn¡¯t you want friends? Daddy thought Rere wanted friends¡­.!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never wanted a friend! Did I say I needed a friend?¡± ¡°But that woman treats you like a friend. You liked her, didn¡¯t you?¡± His eyes met mine at that moment. But he leaned down again because the child had not finished her words. ¡°That is exactly why. Because daddy is like this¡­¡± ¡°Do you think that¡¯s the same thing? And mom didn¡¯t treat me like a friend! She watched me and listened to me!¡± He tried to say something, but he hurriedly shut his mouth. ¡°And that¡¯s not the only thing!¡± ¡°¡­Rere. Don¡¯t be angry. Daddy is scared. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll collapse if you continue to be angry¡­¡± ¡°Did you just send me people who were working for that poopy head Astra? Did you do that on purpose to piss me off?¡± Perhaps the duke also didn¡¯t know about it as he approached us as he waved his hand. ¡°What do you mean¡­working for Astra? Do you mean those kids? No. That¡¯s a misunderstanding. They¡¯re the ones that daddy chose, so that¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not listening again! You don¡¯t believe me at all.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll listen. So tell me, what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Those kids you brought here as my friend were all working for that poopy head. She told them to discourage me!¡± The Duke stammered as if he couldn¡¯t believe it, but Rere did not stop talking. ¡°They said I¡¯m like a baby! They made fun of my rabbit dolls and milk. They said something about my mom and even brought up about my birth!¡± ¡°Wh-What did you say?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Astra told them to do!¡± The Duke¡¯s face turned pale at her words. So pale, as if he was about to collapse. ¡°Bu-But¡­!¡± ¡°Daddy, you brought those kids to be my friends¡­.Did you want to hurt me on purpose? Did you want to discourage me, too?¡± ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s nothing like that. Daddy didn¡¯t know because daddy was in a hurry. Even though I¡¯m the one who chose them personally¡­I¡¯m sorry, baby. Don¡¯t be angry¡­.¡± Rere¡¯s hand, which was holding my hand tightly, trembled. She pretended to be strong in front of those kids, but she couldn¡¯t hide her anger anymore. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Daddy, too¡­you¡¯re just like them! You¡¯re treating me like that because of my birth¡­.because my mom is unknown! You don¡¯t care about what happened to me!¡± ¡°Rere!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you anymore. I wish people like daddy would disappear from the world!¡± The child¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. ¡°Daddy and that woman are the same! Both of you make me sick!¡± ¡°Wa-Wait. Please listen to daddy first, okay?¡± ¡°You want me to listen to you when you always do as you please without listening to me? Are you kidding me? I¡­.I don¡¯t need a daddy!¡± The Duke, who shook his fists as he listened to the child¡¯s words, rushed to her. But Rere avoided him and ran away. ¡°Rere!¡± I followed Rere in a hurry, and so did the Duke. However, she ran so fast, so none of us could see her anymore. ¡°Rere!¡± I kept looking for Rere because I was worried she was very heartbroken or might fall down somewhere. It wasn¡¯t just me. The atmosphere was very unusual. But even though the Duke and I did not explain why we were looking for Rere, nevertheless, the attendants followed us around to search for the child. However, I couldn¡¯t find Rere despite all the hardships. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Eventually, I returned to the child¡¯s room after roaming around to the point that my legs hurt. It was my tenth time returning to Rere¡¯s room, the place where the nanny and maids said that Rere didn¡¯t come. It was because of my small expectation that the child might return to this place even though I knew there would be no one here. The Duke, who was running around with me, had disappeared somewhere before I knew it I thought he went to Astra¡¯s room, but I wasn¡¯t sure. No, nevermind. I¡¯m not even curious. The most important thing to me was Rere. But the mood in the room was strange. Outside the room, the maids were frantically looking for Rere, but the nanny and two maids who had always stayed near Rere were in the room. They certainly said Rere wasn¡¯t there, but their faces were strangely calm. ¡°Is Rere here?¡± ¡°No. My master just came by to check and left.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­¡± ¡°We were also looking for her since we were worried about where she might go¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried. If she gets too agitated, she might collapse again.¡± The nanny sounded worried, but her eyes were directed at a pile of rabbit dolls. Only then did I know where Rere was. ¡®So you said Rere didn¡¯t come to the room to keep it a secret from the duke?¡¯ I approached the child slowly. Then I sat next to her. ¡°Hey rabbit, do you happen to know where our lovely Rere is?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Her mom is worried about Rere a lot¡­¡± It was a question filled with a lot of conviction. Sometime later, I could feel a small movement from the pile of rabbit dolls. Not only that as the voice of the child, who had been silent, slowly leaked out. ¡°The rabbit says you don¡¯t have to worry about Rere.¡± There you were. With a deep sigh of relief, I sat closer to the rabbit. ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief. Hey rabbit, can you tell her? Her mom¡­doesn¡¯t want Rere to get hurt.¡± My words were followed by Rere¡¯s watery voice. ¡°It would have been nice if¡­if daddy said that¡­¡± ¡°¡­Rere.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As always, I¡¯ll get better tomorrow. I¡¯ll stay here for today.¡± After hearing that, I leaned against the rabbit doll. For a long time¡­.. A really long time. I spent time silently until quite a long time passed. Perhaps because Rere was very distressed, she was crying alone inside without any sound. If I followed my heart, I would¡¯ve gone inside and hug Rere, but I waited for a long time without saying anything because I knew that wasn¡¯t what the child wanted. Meanwhile, the sun slowly set, and I got up from my seat. ¡°Rere, if mom stays here, your daddy will know where you are, so your mom will go back to the room first, okay?¡± ¡°¡­.Okay.¡± I didn¡¯t want to go. I wanted to stay here and wait until Rere spoke. But I had to go back because I didn¡¯t know when the Duke would attempt something outrageous again. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t worry. Rere is¡­okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back in the morning.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± After hearing the child¡¯s small voice, I headed to my room. How many wounds did she receive? I couldn¡¯t forget the image of Rere pouring out her feelings to the Duke. ¡°Haa¡­ What should I do?¡± The relationship between the two was likely to break even before the child could recover from her illness. What should I do? What can I do to restore their relationship¡­. I could only sigh at those thoughts. Perhaps their relationship became like this because I was different¡­ Is it because I loved the child, and the child really wanted me? Was it all because of me? ¡®But it was even weirder.¡¯ The Duke in the novel did not do these things to Rere. He was rather passionate. He did whatever the child wanted. It was certain that the Duke of that time did not inflict any wounds to the child at all. ¡®After everything passes by, the Duke will surely change, right?¡¯ And does the next incident include Rebecca¡¯s third mother being crippled in an accident? Looking at the timeline, it¡¯s probably right. Because of that, Rere received a great wound and the duke became more devoted to the child. I was sure that was the right storyline. Somehow, I had a feeling of unknown anxiety despite my conclusion. ¡°Haa¡­¡± At that time, someone pulled my hand tightly as I walked into the room. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°What are you doing!¡± It was the Duke. He dragged me away with a very angry look. ¡°Let go of me!¡± I made quite a ruckus, but he dragged me to his room without batting an eye. Even when my arms were burning red, he had only let me go when he and I were in the room. I shouted at the duke in uncontrollable anger. ¡°Are you crazy? Are you treating me like this just because I came here for money?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. Rere listened to me until you came!¡± ¡°Ha?¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t a child who could say those bad words until you were here!¡± ¡°What are you so upset about? Are you blaming me for your mistake?¡± However, he didn¡¯t give any answer when he was called out for his fault. He only hit the table with his hand as if he were enraged. He was the greatest loser among all the losers. If only this place didn¡¯t uphold social ranks, I would cuss on him as much as I could, but I held back my anger because I still valued my life. ¡°Shut up!¡± It was so frustrating because I felt like I was talking to a wall. This guy wouldn¡¯t listen no matter how much I scream. At least I would wait until he finished saying what he wanted. So I watched him quietly as I eased my anger as much as I could. ¡°You, do you hate me being next to the child that much?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­Why the child turned her back on you is because of your own fault, yet you¡¯re busy shifting the blame to others.¡± I was filled with frustration when I saw his disorganized desk. When I looked at him belatedly, I could see his flushed face. So this loser was an alcoholic, too? It was no different from last time. He drank again and vented his anger on me. When I saw a big bottle of liquor, I was filled with the desire to throw it away. He could have just used that time to visit the child instead. If only he looked at the child¡¯s treasure box, and if only he listened to her, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. Withered flowers, spoiled food, and handwritten letters were inside. He didn¡¯t even know it was all directed at him, and all he did was make a fuss. Then the duke clenched his fist to the point it bled. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. It¡¯s your fault!¡± ¡°¡­Ha.¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let you in.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that again.¡± ¡°Yeah, I regret it again and again. If I can turn back the time, I wouldn¡¯t choose you.¡± ¡°So what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Please leave now. Leave, and everything will return to normal. Please do me a favor. I¡¯ll do anything for you. So please leave. For our sake.¡± I was dumbfounded and speechless for a long time. ¡°Is that it? Is that what you want?¡± ¡°Yes. Rere is more precious than my life. Now, that child won¡¯t even see me anymore. Because you are here. So please leave. Then we¡¯ll go back to what we used to be.¡± I¡¯d prefer it if he was angry. Making a scene like a lunatic, throwing money right at my face, and telling me to leave right away. If he had done so, I would have yelled and rebelled against him, but the current Duke looked weak. Like he was really scared of losing the child. His eyes and behaviour seemed to convey that I was an outsider who got stuck in between their relationship. ¡°Do you want me to leave?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯d do anything if I left?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Then that¡¯s enough. I could use this chance to ask him for a favor. Since I¡¯m sure the presence of a father was more important to Rere than me. ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll leave. It¡¯s all fine if I get out of here, right?¡± ¡°Really?!¡± In the end, I couldn¡¯t overcome the frustration and expressed my innermost thoughts to him. The relationship between these two was even more broken and twisted because of my existence. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m not supposed to be part of it. Rebecca¡¯s third stepmother in the novel is Astra, not me.¡¯ And after a long time, I nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll leave, so please do me a favor.¡± ¡°If you will say nonsense such as being with the child this time¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not that kind of favor.¡± ¡°Do you want money?¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t want anything financially, and I¡¯ll leave right away. So take care. Please stop drinking¡­¡± His eyes looked at me strangely. It wasn¡¯t the same violent angry gaze that he directed at me before. It was just a look that I had never seen before. It was sad and somehow heart-wrenching. However, despite all that, there was not even a little bit of pity in his eyes. ¡°What the hell are you trying to say?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m asking is, please stay with Rere just once. What the child does, and what she wants to do. Please ask her just once. That¡¯s enough. If you promise me that, I¡¯ll leave.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the adults¡¯ fault that the child put up more and more thorns. She became the current Rere because she developed a defense to not show her vulnerable sides.¡± There was no answer. I said and said it countless times. Please look at the child. But he never listened. Even now, I didn¡¯t think he would listen to me. Nevertheless, I persuaded him with all my heart. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 ¡°This might be your last chance. The door to the child¡¯s heart is already locked. Don¡¯t avoid the child because of your pride or another feeling. No matter what anyone says, the child looks up to you, and she misses you all the time¡­since you¡¯re the only family that she loves dearly.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°It may come out as a rambling, but actually, there¡¯s only one thing I want. Listen to the child. Then¡­goodbye.¡± At that time, something heavy fell in front of me as I was about to leave. ¡°It¡¯s a reward since you¡¯ve worked so hard.¡± I tried to walk out in a cool way, but I stopped walking because he threw a money bag as if he had expected this situation. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I heard that all the money you make goes to your family.¡± My eyes met with his for a moment. Oh, did he actually pay attention to me? However, I was disappointed by his following words. ¡°That¡¯s why you got angry last time, right? Since I compensated your family for getting you hurt.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°So you can take it for yourself this time. Take the money and do whatever you want. Don¡¯t ever show up in front of my daughter again.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Don¡¯t come again. No, just leave this empire. Never show your face ever again. If you keep checking on my daughter, then I¡¯ll crush you in the name of Petri Dukedom. No matter how much I tried to refute, he had already made up his mind of kicking me out. When I saw him fiercely saying what he had to say, funny enough, my hand had already held the money he had thrown. I put it in my arms in case anyone saw it and went back to my room. Since I said I would sleep in this room anyway, Rere wouldn¡¯t come to find me. In my room, where no one came, I waited until more time went by. There was no way I could even get to sleep. The later it was, the clearer my mind became. I concentrated on the unusually quiet hallway today. In case someone might come. I was afraid I¡¯d miss the sound. ¡°Nobody¡¯s coming.¡± I thought for a moment that someone might come¡­ I thought he might come to stop me and say the child needed me. But I was being full of myself, and no such miracle happened. No one came to the room until 3 a.m. I heard someone pass by in front of my room a few times, but that was all. In order to not leave any lingering feelings, I made up my mind, put on a hoodie, and came out. Taking advantage of the early morning hours when no one was around, I bid my farewell like a thief. The Duke¡¯s knights always watched me so that I wouldn¡¯t cross the gate, but no one caught me today. ¡°You¡¯re going to get punished.¡± After swearing at the Duke, I headed to the back of the castle, went to the road, and jumped into the forest. Because the castle was located on a mountain. Because of that, the surrounding area was full of trees. The fact that I was getting out of here meant I needed to go down the mountain, and it was very tiring. After running and running for such a long time, I looked back and saw the mansion from afar. Yesterday, no, up until this morning, it was the place where I had a good time with Rere. But that wasn¡¯t my place anymore. ¡®Rere, I¡¯d rather you hate me. I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯ll be just like the other mothers who left you again. You should think that the only person who wouldn¡¯t leave you is your daddy. So go back to being in a good relationship with your father. I, as your mom, will find another way.¡¯ In the end, my existence was no different from other mothers. Because I abandoned my child. If there was one thing that made me worried, it was the wound that the child might get. The thick money in my pocket, which jingled whenever I moved, seemed to tell me how trashy my conscience was. *** Before I knew it, the sun had risen in the sky, and I was still unable to get out of the forest. Although I cursed at him so that I could look cool, I didn¡¯t think that the road would be this difficult. ¡°Augh¡­it hurts.¡± My feet were full of blisters since I ran all night. My swollen legs were so heavy as if I was running with a bucket tied on my feet whenever I walked. ¡°I guess I¡¯ve been living too comfortably in the mansion these days. This much already gives me a hard time.¡± I laughed bitterly at myself and went down the mountain wearing my shoes again. I walked and walked in the same way, and finally, I got out of the mountain where the Duke¡¯s mansion was, but I couldn¡¯t go anywhere. When I escaped from that mansion, I wanted to apply as a palace maid or escape to a faraway country, but when the situation actually came, I had nowhere to go. Even so, I didn¡¯t want to return to Leona¡¯s house. Going there was no different than going back into the devil¡¯s mouth. Eventually, I rested for a few days at an inn not far away from the mountain where the mansion was located. I ate and slept as much as I wanted. I slept late and enjoyed taking a bath while pleasuring myself with an expensive perfume bath. I looked out the window blankly and remembered the back of Luca¡¯s hand. I kept thinking of Luca¡¯s [Pledge of words] in my hand the other day. I tried to investigate, but I was too busy playing with Rere every day. Just in time, there was a bookstore not far from the inn I stayed in that let me verify [Pledge of Words] from the old magic book that I bought there. That Luca didn¡¯t lie. ¡°So I guess he was pretty reliable. ¡° But what does that have to do with anything now? It was ridiculous to say that when we would never see each other again. I would never come back. I agreed to part ways with Rere, but now I was the one who had lingering feelings. That was why I closed the magic book. ¡°But I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll do anything stupid to Rere, so I am a little relieved.¡± Then, I lied on the bed and rolled over. However, my empty heart did not get better easily. After enduring and enduring, I left the inn on the third day and wandered aimlessly. It was so I could plan out how I should escape to another county. At that time, a white building appeared in front of me like it was fate. A place that exists in Leona¡¯s memory. It was a temple. Leona didn¡¯t really like it. For her, the existence of god was only available for people who could make ends meet and afford to believe. God didn¡¯t exist for a person who constantly worried about her meal tomorrow like herself. So Leona¡¯s body refused to go to the temple. That was why I could just follow what Leona¡¯s body told me to do, but on the other hand, I kept thinking of Rere. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to offer a prayer.¡± At that time, I felt a man eyeing me from head to toe. Come to think of it, my clothes become shabby after running down the forest all night. It was because I didn¡¯t really want to buy new clothes, so I kept wearing the same clothes. It was shabby and worn out. The man¡¯s face looked uncomfortable, perhaps because I looked homeless. I even wore a headscarf on my head. ¡°¡­Go over there. This is where only the VIP can enter.¡± The man shook his hand with a look of discomfort as if he was bothered. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I wanted to yell, ¡®Your God must be blinded with outer appearance!¡¯ but I managed to hold myself back. ¡®If the Duke finds me because I made a fuss here¡­it would be so terrible. There would be no way the Duke would just send me away from this easily. He might come after me. Maybe he¡¯ll chase after me and kick me out from this empire himself.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know if I was just being paranoid, but it was possible. With his personality, he would definitely go crazy if he knew I was still around. Moreover, he¡¯d be furious if he knew I didn¡¯t heed his warning. There was nothing bad about staying alert. So I lowered my hood and headed to the place where the knight pointed. Unlike the white marble flooring on the main entrance, the place where the knight pointed was covered in dirt. As if to show the difference in status, homeless people were lying around the dirty road. No one seemed to kick them out because they were in the temple. They even set up their own house. Some homeless people rose from their seats as I slowly entered the temple. Fortunately, they lied down again as if they were disappointed with my appearance. No one was begging me. My heart was pounding so hard when I passed by those homeless people. When I arrived in front of the priest, who yawned as if he was bothered, offered me a money box. ¡°You need to pay to enter.¡± ¡°¡­Pay?¡± Oh my god, you had to pay to pray? It was not certain that praying would have an effect on increasing someone¡¯s health. But I didn¡¯t have the will to argue, so I took the silver coin from my pocket and put it in it. ¡°Silver coin, go to the corner over there.¡¯ ¡°¡­Is my spot determined by money?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Stop talking and go over there.¡± Eventually, I sat on the mattress that was laid down on the floor instead of the chair. Even though it was a shabby place, the temple was indeed a temple. The white statue with an invisible face was reaching out to us in benevolence, and just entering the temple made me feel purified. Of course, that feeling didn¡¯t last long. ¡°To think that I need to pay for a spot is sickening.¡± After a deep sigh, I groaned for a while and closed my eyes quietly. Then I prayed for Rere¡¯s future. I hope you are always healthy. If there is a god, please erase my existence from that vulnerable child¡¯s mind. I wanted her to forget the hurtful existence of a ¡®mom¡¯ and leave behind all the painful memories she had. I prayed and prayed for a long time. After a long time, when I opened my eyes, someone was looking at me. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 ¡°Y-You scared me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I surprised you.¡± He was a man wearing a hoodie similar to me. The man, who looked like a grandpa, was sitting next to me and staring at me. ¡°¡­Do you know me?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve never seen you before.¡± ¡°But why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Well, maybe I was amazed?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Only then did I look around. Come to think of it, I couldn¡¯t see anyone else here except myself. It must have been amazing to see me pray in a place where there were no people. So I said roughly. ¡°¡­.Yeah, it must be amazing for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± That grandpa couldn¡¯t take his gaze off me. Do I look really weird? Or maybe he was sent by the duke? However, if the Duke had sent him, he wouldn¡¯t say he didn¡¯t know me. But he just looked at me. His gaze was warm and evoked a strange sensation, but on the contrary, it burdened me. How burdensome it was for a stranger to look at me so intently. I was about to stand up to avoid him, but then he greeted me. ¡°Ah! I haven¡¯t introduced myself.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, well.¡± Why do we even need to do that? It was our first time seeing each other and we didn¡¯t know anything about each other. ¡°My name is Caleb. The name means ¡®dog¡¯. Such an interesting name, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­I¡¯m Leona.¡± ¡°Ah! Your name is Leona! You have a very good name.¡± That grandpa¡¯s eyes were shining brightly. That stare expressed as if he wanted something from me. What the hell was he? Was he a scammer? Or one of those beggars? The way he was friendly to me was suspicious. And even though he was an elder, I was gradually convinced that he was either a beggar or a scammer. I leaned down and took a gold coin from my pocket, then gave it to him. I hope he was a beggar. I hope his gaze stayed at the gold coins. ¡°Buy something with this. Then, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°I- I¡¯ve got something to take care of!¡± ¡°I understand. What Ms. Leona¡¯s prayed for will surely come true. Our God, Amadeus, will surely make it happen.¡± Fortunately, the old man who received the gold coins seemed to be letting me go without any hassle. ¡°Yes. You too¡­¡± Right after that, I hastily ran out of the temple. ¡®I need to be careful of people.¡¯ As expected, the world was full of thieves. I couldn¡¯t believe I was ripped off my gold coins in an instant. Leona¡¯s idea that the temple did not belong to people like us was accurate. My steps became busier as my determination to not go to the temple again intensified. ** * After Leona left, Caleb looked down at the gold coins she had given him for a long time. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to get paid.¡± Caleb smiled at the gold coins on his hand as if it was funny. Caleb wasn¡¯t actually interested in it even though everyone could see how shining the gold was. Instead, he slowly got up from his seat while holding it tight. ¡°¡­It¡¯ll be soon.¡± At that time, several men came to approach him. ¡°I¡¯m honored to see you, Caleb Benedict Samuel.¡± ¡°What is there to be honored? I always exist in this temple anyway.¡± ¡°The Emperor is coming soon. You need to go to that place. If you¡¯re late¡­¡± ¡°A more precious person has come.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much time left to get ready.¡± Caleb looked at the door, where she left, with a tender smile for a long time. ¡°What do you mean? What do you mean by get ready¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out later. It¡¯s God¡¯s will. We¡¯ll see each other again. She¡¯s our¡­.precious person.¡± The gold coins in his hand slowly lost their light. Only then did Caleb turn around. *** When I came out, the warm sunshine hit me hard. Perhaps because I just heard something close to a word of a blessing from that Caleb grandpa, the heavy burden in my heart disappeared. Somehow, I think Rere will be okay. ¡°Shall we leave now?¡± Yeah. I felt like I could go anywhere now. I was loaded with confidence. After a few days of inspection, I was able to know that the downtown was not far from here. There was even a system in the city that allowed you to rent carriages or boats to neighboring countries, so it was not difficult. ¡®Let¡¯s go!¡¯ I turned around after I made up my mind. However, I walked energetically without knowing that there was a person in front of me, and I almost fell down. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± How stupid. I almost fell when I tried to move without checking if there was anyone in front of me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Once again, the man didn¡¯t answer. I couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face because of my hoodie. Eventually, I looked up and met the man¡¯s eyes. And for a moment, my body stiffened. ¡°¡­Luca?¡± It was Luca who was blocking my way. At first, I wasn¡¯t sure, but when he looked at me with sorrowful eyes, I could tell he was Luca. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand you.¡± ¡°¡­Luca? Why are you here?¡± Now it was as clear as a day that he was Luca. ¡°¡¯Because I¡¯m worried about you.¡± ¡°¡­Worried about what? Just in case I don¡¯t leave the child? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m leaving now. I was about to depart¡­¡± At that time, Luca leaned over and made eye contact with me. He was looking at me affectionately with his golden eyes that didn¡¯t match his black hair. His gaze made me uneasy. Why are you so sweet? Why are you looking at me like that? It¡¯s a foul to be this sweet with a face that looked just like the Duke. What am I supposed to do? I tried to avoid him because his gaze made me uncomfortable. But no matter how much I turned my head away, Luca still continuously looked at me for a long time. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°I finally saw you after three days, and your face is the same as it was three days ago.¡± That made me extremely irritated. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve never seen you. Three days ago, especially! If you¡¯re here because of the Duke¡¯s order, you¡¯d better leave now before I tell you to get lost.¡± But he didn¡¯t even move when I said something harsh. Instead, he just made an expression as if he understood my heart. ¡°No, I saw it. You looked like you wanted to cry then, and you also looked like you wanted to cry today. You pretended to be strong.¡± He, who was saying something incomprehensible, put his big hand over my head. I tried to shake off his hand roughly, but as soon as our hands touched, my hidden feelings burst out. ¡°What are you doing¡­!¡± ¡°What am I doing? I¡¯m covering your eyes so you can cry. Just cry. You won¡¯t be seen by anyone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Why would I cry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried about you. I¡¯m sorry. My heart feels heavy. I¡¯m angry because of what the duke has done to you. It¡¯s just that you look complicated right now.¡± ¡°Let go of me. Who the hell are you? Why are you comforting me? The Duke must take me as a joke¡­¡± I shook off his hand fiercely, but his hand was way stronger. And Luca¡¯s voice was stronger than that hand. ¡°¡­You¡¯re just like Rere. You¡¯re pretending to be strong on the outside so you don¡¯t show your weaknesses.¡± ¡°What do you know about me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much. But at least I know you are not okay right now.¡± I brushed off his hand when he said something ridiculous. However, tears suddenly flowed down. I bit my lips and tried to hold it in, but my tears kept flowing. I didn¡¯t even understand why I¡¯m crying in front of this man and why this man was comforting me. Nevertheless, my tears did not stop flowing as if I hoped someone would ask me if I was okay. ¡°¡­But why? You¡¯re on his side, right? Just why¡­did he order you to keep an eye on me? No, why would you show up here?¡± ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t know where I am or what I¡¯m doing.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t know, huh? Who believes that crap?¡± ¡°I told you so, I¡¯m not lying.¡± I was unable to shoot back since I realized that everything Luca said so far was true. ¡°So don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t report your whereabouts or your activities.¡± Perhaps his words comforted me. Neither Leona nor I had ever expressed our hearts to anyone. My icy heart began to melt with comfort that I had never received. On the other hand, I was also nervous. What if that guy found me? It was terrible to think of it, but funny enough, I couldn¡¯t leave this place. It was so heavy as if I had left part of my childhood in the duke¡¯s mansion. I felt like I abandoned myself there. It overlapped with my childhood. Maybe that was why I was extremely concerned about Rere. The ridiculous prayer to god earlier might have been a prayer to console myself. No, that was correct. When I said I didn¡¯t want to hurt Rere, it was my method to strengthen myself. In the end, I calmed myself down after shedding these ridiculous tears. My hysterical emotion seemed to have been swept away along with the tears, and at one point, my heart was at ease. Only then did Luca know I was okay, so he put his hand down. After a long time, I looked at him. ¡°What the hell are you?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. But it¡¯s the same question as the last one.¡± Smiling, he leaned down and matched our gaze. ¡°You¡¯re not crying anymore.¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 ¡°When did I cry?¡± ¡°You can be honest with your feelings. Honestly, you wanted to get out of this place, right?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°But why are you so sad now? Isn¡¯t it something that makes you happy?¡± His words hit the spot. I flinched for a moment, but I soon calmed down. ¡°That¡¯s right. I wanted to get out of here. So tell me why? Why can¡¯t I leave this place?¡± Instead, I asked him back. ¡°Do you love the child?¡± ¡°I hope the child won¡¯t get hurt.¡± ¡°What about the duke?¡± ¡°I hate him the most in the world.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± At that one word, he seemed a little taken aback. ¡°Don¡¯t you think he has a good side even a little?¡± ¡°Absolutely not. As a man and as a father, he¡¯s the worst. If we were lost on an uninhabited island and he was the only man there, I wouldn¡¯t choose him.¡± When I said that, Luca¡¯s eyes were filled with awkwardness. Rather, he looked hurt as if he had become the duke himself. So I had no choice but to be suspicious of his question. ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± ¡°Nothing. Don¡¯t hate him too much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re his spokesperson.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that. I¡¯m just a person who quite understands his mind.¡± With a grin, he took my hand and walked slowly. ¡°Leona.¡± He, who always drew the line by calling me Ms. Leona, spoke sweetly this time. ¡°Leona. Look at me. If you want to go back, let¡¯s go back. I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°Can you go and tell him that I¡¯m a good person? Please don¡¯t throw me out. Can you ask him that instead?¡± ¡°No. He¡¯s already looking for you.¡± ¡°¡­He¡¯s looking for me?¡± I was unable to discern his word, so I stopped my stride. ¡°From the day you left, he regretted it.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°From that day on. But he had no courage to search for you. That person is like that. He¡¯s too weak. He doesn¡¯t even know his own feelings.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true. Are you trying to comfort me? I feel bad if that was the case¡­¡± ¡°No, if you can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m saying, go where you used to live. I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Rather, it was more believable to say that Rere suddenly became a kind child. I couldn¡¯t believe that he regretted it. But Luca was determined and held my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go first. I promise I¡¯ll let you run away then.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like that either?¡± It¡¯s only a matter of letting go of his hand, but strangely, I couldn¡¯t let it go. ¡°This is just¡­a confirmation, right? Not because of something else?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I finally agreed to follow him. On the way, Luca led me without saying a word. His sweet and kind eyes were only looking at me. After we walked for a long time, I was surprised that we arrived at Selen Street, the place where Leona lived before going to the Duke¡¯s mansion. ¡°Your daughter is missing, but how come her own family isn¡¯t looking for her?¡± Duke Ian Petri, who was screaming out loud, was really in front of the house. It wasn¡¯t just that. Even the knights were looking around. I was surprised when I reached across the street through the alley. ¡°¡­So it was real.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He, who seemed to be laughing, pushed me closer to the scene. Thanks to this, I could hear the Duke¡¯s voice clearly. The more he screamed, the more flustered the knights around the duke became. It wasn¡¯t a crowded street, but that disturbance was enough to attract the merchants and residents. ¡°Tell me! Where is she?¡± ¡°Your Excellency, we don¡¯t even know that she was gone.¡± Perhaps he felt frustrated by his nonsense, the Duke got off from his horse and threatened Leona¡¯s father with a murderous intent. ¡°You don¡¯t know? Then where did she go? Just how did her family treat her to the point she didn¡¯t even return home?¡± ¡°Th¡­That¡­ Leona is originally an eccentric child, so¡­¡± ¡°Eccentric? Eccentric?!¡± As if he couldn¡¯t control his anger, the Duke punched the door in front of him. Thanks to this, the rickety door was broken in an instant. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense and find her now. Because she¡¯s your family. Find her!¡± ¡°But we¡­don¡¯t know her whereabouts¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know, then who else knows? There must be a friend she¡¯s close to!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± Not only did Leona¡¯s father, but also her mother and sister scratched their heads in confusion. Because for them, Leona was just their money maker. Such a response was natural because they didn¡¯t even care about how she was doing. ¡°Are you saying that a family member doesn¡¯t know the whereabouts of their own daughter and sister?¡± Oh my god. Someone would think my family kicked me out when it was him who kicked me out. I laughed despondently as I watched this ridiculous situation play out. Did you think I would return? That¡¯s funny. I turned my back at such a person. ¡°Thank you for showing me a good spectacle before I leave.¡± Perhaps because it was such an unexpected remark, Luca looked surprised. ¡°Are you going to leave? Even after seeing that?¡± ¡°Of course. Why should I come back after seeing him like that once?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± My step was firm. I only left the place because I wanted the best for Rere. All of this because of that guy. I was the one who left the child even though I know for sure what kind of wound I would inflict on the child. But you are looking for me now? Do you have a conscience? As if that wasn¡¯t enough, you even pretended to care about me in front of others?! There was no hypocrite like him. I put an expression as if I couldn¡¯t fathom this situation, then walked past Luca casually. ¡°Looking at the mess, I think I¡¯m just going to stay hidden for a while. Before it¡¯s going to be harder to get out of there.¡± The inn I¡¯ve been staying at was not bad, so I should stay there for another month. With that in mind, I tried to go back to the inn. But Luca held my arm gently. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to go back?¡± ¡°Where?¡± I tossed his arm harshly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to go back to the Duchy?¡¯ ¡°Luca, were you here to take me there? I thought you¡¯re not going to do that.¡± His body flinched at my sharp voice. When his always relaxed demeanor suddenly became disoriented, it made me even more bewildered. ¡°I thought you were on my side when I heard how sweetly you spoke, but sadly, you¡¯re not. It doesn¡¯t matter now. I¡¯ve already made up my mind. Luca, unfortunately, you won¡¯t be able to achieve what you want. I don¡¯t want to go back at all. There¡¯s no need to do what that guy wants.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do what he wants. He¡¯s being punished for what he did. But you. Is that really how you feel?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s funny. You¡¯re on his side, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m calling someone like you a hypocrite.¡± I couldn¡¯t understand him at all. First, he pretended to be there for me, and now, he told me to go back. It was then. After silently looking at me, he pulled my head toward his body. ¡°What are you doing!¡± ¡°You can disappear from this place if you want. You can go to a very far country. I¡¯ll do that for you. So that the Duke will never find you again.¡± It was when I was going to mock him for his nonsense that my vision of looking up at him quickly changed to a scenery. Besides that, the wind that blew a while ago suddenly smelled like salt. Like an ocean. ¡°Do you believe me now? I¡¯m really worried for you.¡± Only then did he let go of my head that he was holding. Then I could see the harbor. ¡°He-Here is¡­¡± ¡°You can leave now. This is a port village at the farthest end of the empire. It looks small, but all the empire¡¯s commodities get out from here.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°It¡¯s a place that allows people to come and go. So you can get on a ship even if you don¡¯t have a clear identity.¡± My eyes were busy looking around. Was this a dream? What¡¯s wrong with this guy? Was he really letting me go? Are you sure you didn¡¯t come here to get me back to the Duke? I thought he manipulated my vision with magic, but thanks to someone who passed by us, I could notice that this was not a dream, but a reality. ¡°Even the Duke hasn¡¯t come here yet. This is a place that would take one to arrive in three days by carriage. He won¡¯t think you¡¯d come all the way here.¡± ¡°Are you really letting me go?¡± ¡°Of course. I want you to be happy, Leona.¡± Why? Why are you doing this to me? You¡¯re on his side, aren¡¯t you? But he took a step back and bowed his head to me, stroking my head with his big hand. ¡°But Leona. Are you really happy with this? Is leaving the duchy really what makes you happy?¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± Actually, I wanted to get out of there. If I was next to Rebecca, I would be crippled. Even if I didn¡¯t die, I would be unable to move. So I hated it. But my heart felt heavy. My heart throbbed so hard for some unknown reason. ¡°Then go. You can leave. If it makes Leona happy.¡± His hand that held my hand firmly, finally let go of me. He said goodbye and told me to take care. He didn¡¯t speak, but all those words leaked out from his eyes. Now all I had to do was let everything go and escape comfortably. I could just live by enjoying things that this body¡¯s owner, Leona, had not enjoyed. I had money, and I could leave right away with the ship in front of me. I got a hold of everything, but my final decision was foolish. My hand caught his arm when he was about to leave. ¡°Leona?¡± Chapter 33 Chapter 33 ¡°¡­.¡± I couldn¡¯t let go of his hand for a long time because I felt like I wouldn¡¯t be able to return if I let go of it. As if waiting for me, Luca called me once and stood still without saying a word. It wasn¡¯t until quite a long time that he slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Do what your heart wants you to do.¡± ¡°¡­What my heart wants¡­¡± What did I want? To be honest, I had a big wound, too. I hated the Duke and thought I never wanted to see him again, but Rebecca was on my mind. I missed my child. Such thoughts filled my head¡­ What if the child was sick because I was gone? It was funny because Rebecca, who had no blood ties with me, swayed my freedom. I had a lot of affection for that child. Even if she said mean things, the child who called me mom, and the child who pretended to be a rabbit to confess her feelings, captivated my eyes. The way her eyes shone brightly when she called me ¡®mom¡¯. ¡®Mom!¡¯ ¡®Mom is stupid!¡¯ Her voice kept ringing in my ears. Tears filled my eyes for a moment. Now I was convinced that the child was the one who held me back. I couldn¡¯t leave as long as I had the child. ¡°Leona¡­¡± His tender hand patted my cheek. ¡°¡­I..Like a fool¡­I..¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a fool. Let¡¯s go back now. To where you want to be.¡± ¡°Luca, but.¡± ¡°I need you¡­¡± He patted me on the shoulder and it strangely cheered me up. Unknown courage rose in me. ¡°I want you, Leona. Even if you hate him, can you go back for me and for Rebecca?¡± ¡°Is that what you wanted?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to see you all the time. I really like you.¡± Luca¡¯s big hand pressed my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t cry. I¡¯m just¡­.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡®Please don¡¯t give me that sweet laugh.¡¯ I looked at him for a moment and held Luca¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let me go back there. To the duke¡¯s mansion where I belong.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Like before, Luca stroked my head and held me in his arms again. Somehow, the arms that embraced me were so sweet that my heart pounded. ¡®No, my heart is racing because I¡¯m excited to see Rere again.¡¯ I closed my eyes quietly thinking like that. However, even though I was held in his arms, I couldn¡¯t feel his heart beating. Just like a person without a heart. Or maybe he didn¡¯t feel any sensation when he held me¡­.. However, I couldn¡¯t really feel any sound or vibration in his chest. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Not long after I closed my eyes, Luca¡¯s voice came back. Then, I opened my eyes quietly. There was no salty smell of the sea from a while ago. Instead, I can only hear the Duke¡¯s voice hitting my ears. He was throwing a fit in front of Leona¡¯s house. ¡°Are you sure I can go back?¡± ¡°Come on. At least, please do it for me. Because I want to keep seeing you.¡± He turned my body around as if he were trying to give me confidence. Thanks to him, I faced the Duke who was across the street. ¡°Okay, see you later.¡± Having gained confidence from Luca, I trudged across the street towards the Duke. ¡°Find her now! How can you say that you¡¯re her family?! ¡°I don¡¯t think you should say that.¡± As soon as he heard my voice, Duke Ian Petri, who was threatening my family, turned around and looked at me. ¡°N-No way!¡± As if what Luca said was true, the Duke rushed to me with a haggard face. ¡°Leona!¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t look at me like that. People will misunderstand if they see it.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Someone would think you came because you missed me or something. You¡¯re the one who kicked me out, though.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s! You got me wrong¡­¡± ¡°I got you wrong, huh? I¡¯m here because it¡¯s so noisy. What makes you come all the way here and threaten people?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± He came so close that I could feel his breath for a moment as he bowed his head silently. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not threatening people¡­¡± ¡°Yes, you are.¡± ¡°¡¯¡­Yeah, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m threatening them. I had no other way to find you. So I just visited for a while to see if you were here.¡± ¡°By visiting, do you mean breaking someone else¡¯s door?¡± At the words, Leona¡¯s father nodded vigorously and looked at the door. Funny enough, Leona¡¯s family hadn¡¯t seen me for so long, but there was no longing on their faces. Rather, the father gave me a strange look. ¡®Ask him compensation for the broken door. Money, ask him for money.¡¯ I felt like I could hear that word coming out of him. That alone irritated me enough. When I saw Leona¡¯s past with the information ingrained in my head, terrible anger that I didn¡¯t feel before soared. For his father, it seemed that he regarded Leona and the Duke himself as his source of money. So I avoided his gaze and stared at the Duke. ¡°You see, I¡­¡± He was mumbling as if he had been stabbed by something, but he couldn¡¯t finish his speech and avoided my eyes. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s get onto the carriage first. I have a lot to say. Get the carriage right now.¡± ¡°Pardon? Bu-but there¡¯s no carriage?¡± One of the knights said as he tried to look at the Duke¡¯s face in fear. ¡®Then how are we going to give a ride to Leona?!¡± ¡°¡­ Carriage? I was running down the mountain all night thanks to someone. How absurd is it for you to bring up carriage only now?¡± ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous and walk. If there¡¯s anything you want to say, say it while we walk.¡± Only then did he nod his head with a stupid look on his face. ¡°Okay¡­¡± But as if he had waited, as soon as we turned around, ¡®Leona¡¯s father¡¯ grabbed my hand. ¡°Leona, you can¡¯t just leave like this.¡± ¡°Why? Do you want me to greet you?¡¯ ¡°Huh? That¡¯s not it¡­ You¡¯ve been in the duchy for a while, and we¡­suffered a lot. How about you address this matter to the Duke?¡± The father¡¯s eyes continued to look at the broken door. ¡°¡­.You¡¯re not asking about how I¡¯ve been, rather if I can calculate the price of the broken door?¡± The same was true of the gazes of people behind him. Leona¡¯s mother and her sister looked no different from her father that it gave away how Leona had lived and how she had been treated by her family. As if they had suffered a lot of damage. When he saw me clearly expressing discomfort, the man who claimed to be my ¡®father¡¯ hurriedly grabbed my hands. ¡°Yes, yes. Long time no see. I couldn¡¯t ask you because you were so busy.¡± What nonsense. You wouldn¡¯t have asked me if I hadn¡¯t made such a cold response. ¡± ¡­Yes, long time no see. Now I just remembered that I have a family. What kind of family did not send a single letter?¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll write you a letter. I¡¯m a little busy these days.¡± My eyes turned to their appearance. Anyone could tell they wore brand new clothes. ¡°Yes, whatever suits you best. Rather, isn¡¯t the compensation for getting my head injured last time enough to cover the broken door¡¯s expenses?¡± ¡°We already spent that money¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know you spent it all. My family must have spent the compensation on my head injury for dressing up and luxuries.¡± ¡°Leona! Why are you saying that? I just used it because I needed something. Isn¡¯t this all for our own good?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for ¡®your¡¯ own good. Don¡¯t beat around the bush, I¡¯m not included in the word ¡®our¡¯, right?¡± Numerous curse words were about to erupt from my mouth, but I tried to hold them in and look at them. Perhaps because I was with Rere, my personality itself seems to have changed. A personality that won¡¯t hold back saying anything. Of course, Leona and I were bad at delivering what we didn¡¯t like. Maybe it¡¯s because we grew up with little support, little love, and less self-esteem. Since I was similar to Leona, her family angered me so much. Just how could you tell such a lie to me? So I glared at those who tried to extort money from Leona at every chance. ¡°From now on, there will never be any more money going into this house. Don¡¯t expect anything.¡± Someone walked slowly in front of Leona¡¯s father as if she couldn¡¯t stand my words. ¡°It¡¯s funny how you eat well and live well all by yourself, huh?¡± She was, of course, the most flamboyant sister of all time. Pevita Selen. Pevita, someone who was always fussy about the smallest things and never done anything. Using the excuse of being weak or powerless. ¡®But she¡¯s so powerful when she hits Leona.¡¯ Thanks to her, Leona had a terrible fear of her sister. She had been beaten to death more than once. So what Pevita said had fueled my anger more. ¡°Eat well and live well? That¡¯s rich coming from you. People will misunderstand when they hear it. You¡¯re the one who eats well and lives well, while I live like a beggar. So cut the crap. Don¡¯t think about getting money from me anymore and make your own money. I can¡¯t see that you¡¯re having a hard time at all.¡± ¡°Leona! Why did you change so much!¡± ¡°¡¯I have to change. You¡¯re my so-called family that even used up the money from my injury for luxuries, so why would I still give my life to support you? Wake up and live a good life. Starting today, I will become a person without a family.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Leona!¡± ¡°A-Are you crazy?¡± Each of them yelled at me, but I got away from them and pulled the Duke¡¯s arm. Behind me, I heard the voices of my family screaming at me, but when we got out of there, they were stopped by the knights. ¡°Hey! Hey! Oii! Stop there! Hey! Leona!¡± They were so damn loud. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 The more they called me, the faster I moved my feet. How long did we walk? Before I knew it, I couldn¡¯t hear their voices anymore. Instead, I could only hear the duke¡¯s discouraged voice. ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay. But why are you looking for me?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± He was staring at me as if he had just remembered. ¡°Your complexion doesn¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°So do yours. You look so pale that people might think something bad happened to you.¡± ¡°¡­.After I kicked you out, I couldn¡¯t sleep at all.¡± ¡°Oh my god.¡± Unknowingly, I felt sorry for him. The Duke¡¯s gaze naturally brushed over me. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Ahem, I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t sleep at all. Is it because Rere is looking for me?¡± He didn¡¯t answer for a while. He just glanced at the ground and then the sky subsequently, mumbling to himself. After a while, he seemed like he made up his mind, so he opened his mouth slowly. ¡°¡­You were right, Leona. After you left, I decided to listen to Rere¡¯s heart as you suggested. The child, who cried so much after you left, poured out her true feelings at once. For the first time.¡± ¡°You did a good job.¡± ¡°I felt like the thread that would never untangle, finally untangled. I know how foolish I am.¡± It was definitely a good thing, and even though the misunderstanding was resolved, somehow, he looked disheartened. ¡°¡­That¡¯s how I honestly felt. I thought it would be okay if you were gone, but it was just my arrogance and misjudgment. What I did was utterly stupid.¡± We looked at each other for a long time. His red eyes seemed to be alive. He was strangely different from before. I couldn¡¯t point out what part of him was strange, but it was clear that he had changed. ¡°Did you grow up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It feels like my feelings are back.¡± His trembling and weak voice kept bothering my nerves. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Since you left, I¡¯ve been feeling too frantic and lost my mind. If I don¡¯t find you, I might go even crazier.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± ¡°Everything is my fault. It¡¯s purely my own stupidity. I¡¯m so scared of losing my daughter. And I did what I shouldn¡¯t have done to you because of that fear.¡± His voice became calmer as if he were someone else. A voice that I had never heard before. And it contained deep thoughts and regrets. ¡°You can say anything. You can hate me or hit me as much as you want. While you were away, I realized my own faults.¡± He somehow looked weak with his head down. His appearance and Rere, who was always pretending to be strong, overlapped for a moment. ¡°You don¡¯t have to accept my apology and forgive me. Just be the mother of my child again. I don¡¯t think anybody else can do it, Leona.¡± My heart wouldn¡¯t be shaken had he not said anything about Rere. ¡°Is Rere¡­okay?¡± ¡°The very morning after you left, Rere cried and collapsed again.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°She¡¯s okay now.¡± ¡°I will do anything for you. I¡¯d leave the mansion if you want. So please, be the mother of my daughter.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that¡¯s a pretty scary thing to say? If you truly meant that you¡¯d do anything, what if I ask for a mana stone mine?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± He answered without hesitation. ¡°You¡¯ll give it to me?¡± ¡°If you want, I can give you everything. As long as you are willing to become my child¡¯s mother once again.¡± In a different sense, he was totally crazy. The mana stone mine was wanted by the emperor, too. I got a lot of information while I was alone. Even if I loathed it, I kept finding myself studying about the Petri Dukedom, and I even read about the mana stone mine. Unlike other mana stone mines, there were enough mana stones to dig for hundreds of years. In other words, you could live as a millionaire for the rest of your life if you acquired that. ¡°Why are you going through such lengths for me?¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s what I want. That¡¯s what my daughter wants. And I¡¯ll do anything to get your forgiveness.¡± Why did you come out like that and weaken people¡¯s hearts? If I followed my heart, I would¡¯ve accepted it right away, but I shouldn¡¯t give in too easily. ¡°You have a wife anyway. That woman is Rere¡¯s new mother, right?¡± The Duke, who had been extremely sad like a child reflecting on his mistake, smiled and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s almost over, so you don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll make you the one and only mother of my child.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± At that time. ¡°Your Grace, I¡¯ve rented a carriage. Although it¡¯s not the same with the duke¡¯s carriage¡­¡± It was the same knight who said that there was no carriage earlier and got scolded harshly. Perhaps because he was extremely anxious that he might be killed if he didn¡¯t get a carriage right away, the knight had been running to the point that he was so sweaty. Before I knew it, the carriage door in front of us opened, and the Duke reached out to me. ¡°Come with me. You can hate me all you want, just be the mother of my child again. Please.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to forgive me. Just¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive you even if I die. You¡¯re still the worst father and man in my opinion.¡± So I took his hand. ¡°Only for Rere. I¡¯m doing this for my daughter.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­from the bottom of my heart.¡± Only then did I feel like I was slowly putting down the heavy burden in my heart. I know for sure this time. What I wanted wasn¡¯t going to faraway countries to live, nor to be the palace maid. What I wanted was to be Rere¡¯s mom. That was my destiny, and I decided to embrace it. *** As soon as I arrived at the mansion and got off the carriage, the first thing I did was run to Rere. Since I wore these shoes for a long time, I had several blisters on my feet, but Rere made me forget all the pain. Would she be happy? Or angry? I¡¯d rather she got angry. If she were angry, I¡¯d hug her in my arms. I¡¯ll apologize for as long as I needed to. My heart throbbed because of those thoughts. A hallway full of silence. The duke¡¯s servants, who were busy doing their job, quickly bowed down when they saw me. I was quite surprised to see their different attitude. But I didn¡¯t stop my stride. The maids in front of Rere¡¯s room opened their mouths wide and greeted me. ¡°Madam!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s save the greetings for later.¡± When I opened the door, the people inside just blinked absentmindedly. The nanny, the two maids who are always close to Rere, May, and the other maids were all surprised. ¡°Ma-Madam!¡± ¡°Ahh..! You¡¯re back!¡± ¡°Oh my god. Where have you been!¡± The nanny and maids were busy flocking at me like sea waves. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for so long¡­¡± I only smiled at them and headed to the rabbit doll. Rere was inside there. She was hiding in her own safe space. ¡°Rere.¡± But there was no answer. ¡°Rere. Rere¡­.¡± That was strange. I was the one who left her and made her sad, but whenever I called her name, tears kept falling down my cheeks. ¡°Rere¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I wanted to face Rere courageously, but my voice kept shaking. ¡°Rere¡­¡± ¡°Rere¡­doesn¡¯t have a mom..¡± That one word from the child was enough to shatter my heart into millions of pieces. My heart sank down. I thought maybe not coming back would hurt her less. I thought I was tormenting the child for my own peace of mind. Those thoughts kept filling my head. But if I gave up my child here, if I left her just because I was having a hard time, I would just inflict more wounds that would never be healed. Even if my heart crumbled, I would wait next to the child. Until she opened her heart to me again. Until she looked at me again. If this was my punishment for leaving the child, I¡¯ll fully accept it. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°I said I don¡¯t have a mom!¡± The very firm voice seemed to contain no emotion. ¡°¡­Your mom is here.¡± ¡°Rere¡­doesn¡¯t have a mom¡­.Rere is alone. I used to be alone, and now I¡¯m alone again¡­forever.¡± What should I say? What could I say to get the child out of there? How could I ever be forgiven? I was the one who hurt the child more than anyone else. I was far worse than the Duke. Her wounds would be as big as how much she trusted me. Meanwhile, the duke, who followed me to the room, tried to rush in as soon as he saw me sitting next to the rabbit doll. I shook my head at him. It wasn¡¯t the right time yet. I just had to sit here until Rere forgave me. Fortunately, the duke noticed my gesture and stopped walking in. ¡°I will stay here. I¡¯ll be here until mom sees Rere¡¯s face.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not my mom. Go away.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be the rabbit. I¡¯ll be the rabbit and stay here. I¡¯ll stay here until Rere shows her face.¡± There was no answer this time. ¡°Everyone, you can leave this room. I¡¯ll wait here.¡± ¡°Go away! I don¡¯t want to see a fake mom!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your mom. It¡¯s a rabbit.¡± ¡°But a rabbit doesn¡¯t cry like that! Stupid!¡± Even when the child spoke like that, I still stayed next to her. Meanwhile, the room was closed and only silence hit the room. In the room where there was only a sound of low breathing, the stillness was dampening. Nevertheless, it was a good thing. I was happier being next to Rere than spending time alone at the inn. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 My hips hurt because I sat on the floor for a long time, and I had cramps in my legs because I had the same posture the entire time. Still, I didn¡¯t hate it. I spent a long time leaning against the rabbit as the time went by. Before I knew it, the night came upon us. Nevertheless, I wasn¡¯t going to be scared nor back down. Because Rere was right next to me. ¡°Ah~ I feel so good.¡± I said after a long silence. ¡°I don¡¯t feel good.¡± ¡°¡­Rere. I really want to hear your grumpy voice.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to hear mom, no, auntie¡¯s voice.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know¡­but Rere, do you know what I¡¯ve been doing these days?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I slept and ate as much as I wanted. I¡¯ve been going around enjoying myself like that. Rere was having a hard time, yet I was so mean having fun by myself.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But my heart was restless. I felt so uneasy, and I missed my Rere so much. I think I got punished. Rere is getting bigger and bigger in my head.¡± So, I continued telling her about my journey. ¡°And then I went to the temple to pray for Rere¡¯s happiness. But you know what? I met a strange grandpa there.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°For some reason, he kept staring at me.¡± ¡°Do you know how surprised I was? It¡¯s so ridiculous. Even though I went there to pray for Rere¡¯s happiness and health.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not happy. I¡¯m not happy that mom left.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°So what happened? Who is that person?¡± ¡°While I was still surprised, he suddenly said that his name meant ¡®dog¡¯ and laughed by himself. That¡¯s why I ran here.¡± ¡°Stupid. Thank god nothing happened. It¡¯s because you have an innocent looking face!¡± At the words, the rabbit doll fell forward and a small head came out of it. ¡°Stupid!¡± ¡°Ah! It¡¯s Rere.¡± ¡°¡­Tch. Look at your face.¡± Maybe because she was buried among the rabbit dolls for a long time, sweat accumulated on her forehead. Only four days have passed, but Rere¡¯s cheeks became so hollow. ¡°¡­Because of a certain stupid person¡­I thought I was abandoned again.¡± Tears streamed down the child¡¯s face like rainfall. I quickly got up from my seat and took Rere out from the rabbit dolls. ¡°My Rere is losing so much weight. Look how light you are.¡± ¡°Whose fault do you think it is? Isn¡¯t it because of you? Stupid!¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s because of me. I¡¯d prefer it if you hated me, and then ate well and live well¡­ Why are you crying so much?¡± ¡°Crying? As if! Do you think I¡¯m crazy? I didn¡¯t cry at all.¡± ¡°Your eyes are puffy, though?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± At my words, Rere bumped her head on my shoulder. ¡°I was afraid that mom¡­will abandon me and leave forever. I thought mom was gone¡­I thought mom will never return¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Daddy said¡­ Daddy said he was going to search for mom¡­ He said he was sorry¡­ He didn¡¯t know what was good for me because it was his first time¡­and he said he would bring you back no matter what¡­ That¡¯s why I waited.¡± ¡°¡­Rere.¡± What had I done to this little girl? I did what I shouldn¡¯t do. Something unforgivable. ¡°But¡­I kept getting sick because I thought my mom won¡¯t return. I had a fever and I kept having a dream where my mom was walking away. Mom went farther away no matter how much I called out to her.¡± ¡°I will¡­never leave now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be by Rere¡¯s side until Rere believes me.¡± However, Rere only looked at me silently. Then I smiled brightly at Rere. ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me mom.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to do that in the first place.¡± ¡°Okay, from now on I¡¯m your rabbitty~¡± ¡°Stupid. Mom is an idiot.¡± ¡°Did you call me mom just now?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong! I didn¡¯t say that!¡± Rere pinched my cheeks with a grumpy face. ¡°You left for no reason, and look! Your skinny cheeks are getting skinnier! You can¡¯t be this ugly.¡± ¡°From now on, let¡¯s eat a lot of delicious food, okay?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, do whatever you like.¡± A small smile spread over the child¡¯s face, who turned her head pretending to be upset. And so, we met again. I laid the child on the bed and patted her on the shoulder. And late at night, the duke came to visit us. I opened my eyes to the sudden sound of the door opening, and I made eye contact with him. ¡°¡­.Is the child sleeping?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°¡­I think I¡¯ve been too indifferent all this time.¡± ¡°Yes, so please treat the child well now.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± At my words, he sat in the chair beside the bed and smiled. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°¡­Rere was hurt a lot.¡± ¡°¡­Now I feel like I¡¯ve come to my senses. I don¡¯t think I was myself at that time. It was as if I was controlled by magic.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. And don¡¯t worry about your position, I¡¯ll take care of it in a few days.¡± His hand gently brushed Rere¡¯s hair. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since she slept well like this.¡± ¡°Express it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Express it as you do now. Do it when the child is awake so she can see those loving eyes.¡± ¡°¡­I should do that. I will do it for Rere¡­and you as well.¡± ¡°Nope. Not for me. I¡¯ll refuse that.¡± It was obvious that he would keep upsetting me. So I shook my head firmly. ¡°¡­ Alright, I get it.¡± ¡°Then, you should go. I¡¯ll sleep with the child.¡± ¡°You must be tired.¡± ¡°Still, I like to sleep in this room with Rere.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll get your room ready soon.¡± Did you get rid of my room while I was gone? I was about to glare at him in dismay, but the duke rose from his seat. ¡°Good night.¡± After that, he left the room. And I fell asleep with Rere again. *** Rere, who had been sick for a few days even after I returned, recovered in ten days. In case I would leave again, Rere became more obsessed with me than before. She asked me to go with her not only when she sleeps, but also when she goes to the bathroom. Thanks to that, I stayed with Rere for ten days straight. And in the end, my body was exhausted. I was afraid that Rere would get a fever or get hurt again, so I focused my whole mind to take care of her. Furthermore, I haven¡¯t rested ever since I came back from the mountain. As a result, my eyes felt heavy even though I knew that morning had come. At that time, I could barely open my eyes because of the rustling sound and the feeling of something moving in the spacious bed. I thought the warm sunlight touched my cheek tenderly¡­ A tiny hand was rubbing my cheek. ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Wake up!¡± Rere, who looked at me while cupping her chin in her hands, smiled so brightly to the point that her eyes couldn¡¯t be seen. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± I hugged Rere, who hastily hopped from her seat, and rolled over. ¡°Ahhh! W-What are you doing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so soft.¡± ¡°Uh, do you know that this is what I like the most?¡± While speaking, Rere was busy rubbing her cheeks against my cheeks. It¡¯s been a long time since I had a chubby cheek. ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡± ¡°Tch! I¡¯m not happy. Why are your cheeks so rough? If you left like that, you should¡¯ve at least eaten well. I¡¯m so upset.¡± ¡°Are you upset?¡± ¡°Oh, no. Just stay there.¡± The child, who was so angry, jumped down from the bed and squeezed lotion into her hand. Then she started applying the lotion to my face. ¡°Anyway. Look what happens when I¡¯m not around?! It¡¯s troublesome and annoying. Ah, when I say it¡¯s annoying, it doesn¡¯t mean you should leave. I like to be bothered. So don¡¯t get me wrong and listen carefully.¡± Contrary to what she said, her actions were very sweet. After applying the lotion for a long time, Rere showed me the mirror on the table next to the bed. ¡°Look at this. Your face looks softer after applying a little bit of it.¡± I burst into laughter at that moment. My face was smeared with white lotion as if I had put on the wrong sunscreen. I slightly removed the lotion from my face and smeared it on Rere¡¯s face. ¡°Is Rere¡¯s face rough as well?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯ve been eating well and doing well! My nanny and the maids bothered me all day long! Everyone¡¯s the same. You should worry about yourself¡­ Why bother me all the time? Anyway, I¡¯ll apply it again.¡± The cute little hands were moving on my face again. I smeared the lotion into Rere¡¯s face as well. At that time, Perhaps she heard our clatter, the door opened and the nanny stepped inside. She hurriedly put the silver tray on the table as soon as she saw us. ¡°You¡¯re up, madam! But your face¡­¡± The perplexed nanny grinned and held out a warm towel and mirror. The more Rere rubbed my face, the more spectacular my face became. My face was so white that it resembled the slender man. ¡°How pretty!¡± ¡°This won¡¯t do! Both of you need to wash up right away!¡± The nanny, who tried to hold back her laughter, eventually forced us into the bathroom. Unintentionally, we had to take a bath early in the morning. In order to not replay this morning¡¯s incident, the nanny gave me an adequate amount of lotion and applied it to Rere¡¯s face. Then, the nanny and Rere approached me to dry my hair. I slightly lowered my head towards Rere. ¡°Look, Rere. Mom¡¯s cheeks are so soft now, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s touchable now! But who¡¯s calling you mom?! You¡¯re a big bunny! And you have longer hair than me! Plus, why are you drying your hair alone? Come here and I¡¯ll dry it for you!¡± Rere, whose hair was being dried by the nanny and maids, approached me and dragged me towards her. ¡°What are you doing there? It¡¯s warm here!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine here.¡± ¡°No! Big bunny, you sit here.¡± ¡°Here?¡± Rere pointed her hand to the spot near the furnace. ¡°Sit here?¡± ¡°Yes. Sit in front of me.¡± Then, I sat in front of the child as she wanted. I sat on the floor. ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold if you go around like this.¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Rere, who snatched the towel off my head, quickly started drying my hair with the towel. ¡°Wait, Rere. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than big bunny getting sick.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± I tilted my head to meet Rere¡¯s eyes. Rere, who was drying my hair, puckered her mouth. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Our Rere is so pretty.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always pretty. I know I¡¯m pretty even if you don¡¯t tell me. So stay still. I¡¯ll dry your hair.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I couldn¡¯t control my bursting smile. How could you be so lovely? And so, I sat for a long time, while Rere¡¯s small hands moved busily. ¡°Ah, how tiring!¡± In the end, Rere gave up. ¡°Look at this. My hair is all dried up thanks to Rere. Is Rere¡¯s hair also finished?¡± ¡°Yeah, but my arms hurt so much. I did something useless. It doesn¡¯t matter to me if big bunny catches a cold or not. I shouldn¡¯t have done it.¡± I turned around and squeezed Rere¡¯s little arms. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to thank me for? Ah, I¡¯m hungry. Bring in a lot of food since I¡¯m very hungry today!¡± ¡°Do you have anything you want to eat today?¡± But Rere didn¡¯t answer the nanny¡¯s question. She just held my hand and led me to the table. As if it happened frequently, the maids who went outside quickly came in with an armful of meals. ¡°Hurry up and eat.¡± As the food was carefully placed in front of us, Rere urged me. ¡°Rere, have some too.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if you don¡¯t say it, I¡¯m going to eat well now.¡± Then she took out the carrots one by one from the bowl. ¡°Won¡¯t you eat it?¡± ¡°..Ah! It¡¯s for big bunny to eat.¡± After collecting the carrots with a fork, she grinned and held them out to me. ¡°Rabbits like carrots!¡± No. I¡¯m not the real rabbit. In fact, I hated carrots the most. From its texture to its scent. But Rere¡¯s eyes glistened. ¡°Say ahh!¡± ¡°Oh, I enjoyed the meal. I¡¯m so full that I can¡¯t eat anymore.¡± ¡°Hurry up and eat the carrots. Don¡¯t tell me big bunny is a picky eater?¡± ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to persuade me, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not. Listen to me, Rere. It¡¯s good to have a balanced meal.¡± ¡°See? You¡¯re trying to persuade me.¡± I took a big bite of the steak and swayed my index finger sideways. ¡°That¡¯s not true. Actually, it¡¯s important not to be a picky eater, especially for a growing child. But not eating carrots doesn¡¯t mean that you¡¯re in big trouble.¡± ¡°¡­So what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you eat something else. As long as you eat well, you don¡¯t have to eat carrots.¡± This was also an excuse for myself since I hate carrots the most. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Of course. Why don¡¯t we eat something else instead?¡± ¡°Ah, so I can do that! Why has nobody ever told me this important information! Hmph!¡± Rere chewed the meat while scolding the nanny and maids. Whether what I said had an effect or not, Rere only ate her favorite food more than usual even though there was so much food on the table. She swung her feet back and forth as if she liked it, and only after eating so much did the child stroke her stomach. ¡°I ate well. So, I¡¯ll give you special permission to play sand today!¡± ¡°Huh? Will you be okay with that?¡± ¡°I ate until my stomach was full, so I¡¯m okay with anything. Why? Mom, no, big bunny, do you hate it?¡± ¡°No way. Then shall we go out?¡± ¡°Yahoo!¡± ¡°I already prepared it since I knew this day would come.¡± The nanny, who teared up and wiped it with her handkerchief, returned from the wardrobe with a lot of clothes. One layer. Two layers. Three layers. The clothes got thicker and thicker. Usually, Rere would throw a fit, but surprisingly, she managed to put up with it. Of course, after her body became so round, she lost the temper that she tried so hard to suppress. ¡°Uwaa, it¡¯s hot! Stop dressing me up!¡± ¡°The weather is getting colder. And it¡¯s much colder outside, miss.¡± ¡°Forget it. You should put more clothes on the big bunny more than me. Why are her clothes so thin?¡± ¡°I will do that. Madam, allow me to cover you with more clothes.¡± ¡°If Rere wants it, then let¡¯s do it.¡± I smiled brightly and went outside in thick clothes. Perhaps because winter was about to come in a few days, it was a little cold even though the sun was very bright. In an instant, Rere threw away her outerwear and ran to the sand. The nanny and I, who couldn¡¯t stop the excited child, looked at each other and went closer to Rere. ¡°Hmm~ Hmm~¡± Rere hummed as she played with the sand. ¡°Isn¡¯t the sand cold?¡± ¡°Ah! It¡¯s warm!¡± I put my hand in the sand to check its temperature. I didn¡¯t know if it was because of the sun or some kind of magic, but the sand was quite warm. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Actually, while you were away, my master put mana stone in this place. So you can always be warm.¡± He clearly didn¡¯t like sand play, yet he did all of this? Without realizing it, a smile spread on my face. I was happy that he started to become more caring towards Rere. Anyway, it was great to see he was no longer dawdling over useless things as a father. What¡¯s more, he actually did something to keep the child and I warm. ¡°Rere, what do you want to make today?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Big bunny doesn¡¯t have to know!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah! If you¡¯re that curious, you can watch it from the side!¡± Rere pushed a chair next to her. Only then did I take a seat next to Rere. I didn¡¯t think this day would come again. When I was kicked out of here and went down the mountain all night long, I thought I¡¯d never come back again¡­ ¡®It¡¯s all thanks to Luca.¡¯ The man who resembled the Duke yet was strangely different. Without him, I wouldn¡¯t be able to return here. If he hadn¡¯t taken me to the harbor, I wouldn¡¯t know about my true feelings. But I haven¡¯t seen Luca since I came back. While watching Rere play for a long time, I made eye contact with the nanny who smiled endlessly behind me. ¡°By the way, nanny. How¡¯s Luca doing?¡± ¡°Luca, who?¡­Ah! Sir Luca, isn¡¯t it?!¡± ¡°Luca? Who is he?¡± The child, who said ¡®Luca is the best¡¯ just a few days ago, tilted her head in confusion. So did the nanny. She frowned as if her memory of that person was hazy. ¡°Everyone¡­ Do you not know Luca?¡± Rere pouted her lips for a while and said as if something came into her mind. ¡°Ah! I remember. I know him. Why would I forget.¡± ¡°I also remember. Somehow, my memory of Sir Luca is not clear. I guess I¡¯m getting old.¡± Seeing the nanny smiling as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal, my heart was becoming uneasy. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Why are you asking about Sir Luca, madam?¡± ¡°It just¡­I¡¯m curious about how he¡¯s doing lately. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen him lately.¡± ¡°Why are you curious about Luca? Big bunny, do you like Luca that much?¡± ¡°No, rather than liking him¡­¡± ¡°Instead of Luca, look at my daddy. Even if he has done mean things, actually, he¡¯s a little bit okay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re complimenting your daddy now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not complimenting him! I¡¯m just saying the truth!¡± Rere pouted, turned her head away, and piled the sand in the same place. ¡°Rere. Do you like your daddy now?¡± ¡°No!¡± At that time, along with a loud thud, our surroundings become noisy. ¡°Ha. Are you crazy? Thanks to my benevolent heart, I endured it even when you treated me like a beggar. But what the hell is this!¡± Astra was dragged out from the duke¡¯s residence. Rere and I, who were playing in the sand, and as well as everyone there, were surprised by the sudden uproar. In case something happened, the nanny and the maids stood in front of us. ¡°You two should stay behind. We don¡¯t know what might happen.¡± As if she was trying to get back to what had happened so far, the nanny even rolled up her sleeves. ¡°Everyone.¡± ¡°Yes, nanny.¡± The maids also did the same thing. I heard Astra was acting up while I was away. She yelled at Rere¡¯s maids and forced them to attend to her. I heard she tried to smack the maids¡¯ heads if they didn¡¯t listen to her order, and she even tried to force the sick child out of the room, saying that she feigned her illness. Meanwhile, the Duke went out to find me, so the nanny and the maids were the only ones left in the mansion. Due to that, they blocked the door and guarded the child¡¯s room alternately. It was said that Astra did not hesitate to give them a harsh beating. In particular, many of them had bruises on their arms, legs, and faces because of her. The maids who were beaten and yelled at by Astra were grinding their teeth. However, the situation was completely different from what was expected. The arrogant Astra was dragged out of the Petri Residence with only one shoe. ¡°Are you still asking? I¡¯m kicking you out.¡± The nanny and maids, who had been standing in front of us for a while, were very bewildered. ¡°Kicking her out?¡± ¡°Is he really kicking her out?¡± ¡°Nanny. We didn¡¯t hear it wrong, did we?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I didn¡¯t hear it wrong, though?¡± ¡°I wonder what¡¯s going on?¡± They were busy alternately looking at each other. In the meantime, Rere stepped forward as if she wanted to watch the interesting scene. ¡°Miss!¡± Thanks to her, I could see Astra through the opened gap. ¡°Madam¡­! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look dangerous at all. Anybody can see that she¡¯s being kicked out.¡± At that time, Astra rushed to the Duke flaunting her long nails like a wild beast, but he shook her off mercilessly. ¡°Arrgh!¡± ¡°What an impressive scream.¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 When he spat out words with a voice that I never heard before, he leaned down and grabbed both of her wrists. ¡°Let go of me!¡± ¡°Your business here is over. It¡¯ll be great if you leave my house.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll regret it!¡± ¡°I have nothing to regret.¡± The duke spoke coldly, whilst Astra¡¯s tongue was as sharp as a blade. ¡°Have you lost your mind? I¡¯m asking if you¡¯re crazy!¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m very normal.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true. How can you treat me like this unless you¡¯re crazy? Do you know what you¡¯re doing right now?¡± ¡°I know very well. I¡¯m kicking out the great Princess Astra of Arvida Dukedom. In the most shameful way, too.¡± He then slowly dragged her by the wrist with a smile. ¡°Kyaak! Let go!¡± No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn¡¯t beat the power of a man. Her soft and fragile wrists were struggling to escape Ian¡¯s grip, but he kept pulling her without a slight change in his expression. ¡°All this time you¡¯ve only done abominable things. Everyone said that you¡¯re only tormenting people and screaming like crazy until your mouth hurts.¡± ¡°What did I even do?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t remember. You¡¯re indeed amazing. When I think about what you¡¯ve done in my house as a ¡®Duchess¡¯, I suddenly have the desire to cut off your neck and send it to your father as a gift. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d love it.¡± Perhaps because she had come to her senses a little when the Duke frightened her, Astra shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m doing this for the dukedom!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that when you tormented my daughter, Leona, and the servants. You¡¯re even trying to abuse my daughter by speaking about her birth¡­!!!¡± At that time, Astra, who was barely able to stand, made eye contact with him. ¡°That¡¯s all in the past. You shouldn¡¯t do this to me. I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m your wife!¡± Only then did Astra start to tremble as if she felt that she made a blunder. ¡°My wife, huh? How ridiculous. Astra, do you really think we¡¯re a couple?¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯re a couple! I¡¯m the Duchess! Duchess Astra Petri!¡± ¡°What a fool. Even after how I treated you so far, do you still not get it? Do I have to explain it one by one for you to understand?¡± He sighed deeply as if he thought she was pathetic and lowered his head to look at Astra. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m willing to bother myself to make you my wife? Do you really think that I only watched silently while you did all those crazy things because I truly think of you as my wife? I¡¯m sorry to say this, but we¡¯re not a couple. From the beginning until the end.¡± Astra shook her head as if hearing those words was more shocking to her than her being dragged out of here. ¡°There¡¯s no way we¡¯re not a couple. The documents that we¡­¡± At that moment, the Duke let go of Astra¡¯s hand. Then, he took something out of his arm sleeve and showed it to her. ¡°Do you think this document is real?¡± I couldn¡¯t see it well because of the distance, but I could at least see the red seal on it, which was the proper seal for marriage registration. I knew the shape of it because Leona also used the stamp with the seal with the Duke back then. ¡®Of course, I¡¯ve heard he destroyed it.¡¯ ¡°¡­Don¡¯t tell me¡­our marriage registration is fake? Are you saying this whole thing is fake? But you went to my father to ask for my hand in marriage personally. You¡¯re the one who initiated it!¡± ¡°The Duke of Arvida asked me first, so I accepted it. But do you think I¡¯m the one who stamped this?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How foolish. Normally, people would ask themselves the reason as to why I chose you of all people, but I guess you¡¯re so full of yourself that you didn¡¯t even bother asking. As if to prove that, you still haven¡¯t understood the situation you¡¯re in even if it has come to this. So, I¡¯ll explain it to you directly. I did it to properly investigate your family. Since marriage is the easiest way to do so, I just properly utilized the chance I was given.¡± But, it seemed as though she still didn¡¯t understand his words. ¡°Why are you doing this to me? Why me¡­.!¡± ¡°Why are you still asking? I didn¡¯t even intend to take you as my wife from the beginning. Furthermore, I kept my real marriage registration document with my wife separately.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± At that moment, Astra¡¯s eyes reached me while she was in the middle of arguing with the duke. ¡°That can¡¯t be true. That document was definitely destroyed¡­!¡± ¡°Of course I lied. There¡¯s no way I destroyed that document.¡± The Duke, who twitched his lips, took a step back away from her. ¡°So stop making a fuss and just leave. If you don¡¯t want to be treated worse than this. Princess Astra is going back to her house. Escort her safely.¡± Astra shook her clenched fists at his sarcastic remark. ¡°We¡¯ll escort you. Princess Astra Arvida.¡± The knights, who watched the whole scene unfold, quickly gathered around her like a flock of crows, grabbed her arms, and dragged her. ¡°This is ridiculous. You can¡¯t do this to me. You can¡¯t! You¡­will regret it. How dare you treat me like this!¡± Astra, who was struggling against the knights, fell to the ground, got up quickly, and ran away somewhere. ¡°Should we follow her?¡± ¡°No. As long as she leaves, Duke Arvida will come soon, so just wait.¡± Unlike me, who was surprised to see the Duke¡¯s ruthless side, Rere puffed her cheeks as if she was disappointed. ¡°You should¡¯ve tormented her more. You should¡¯ve stepped on her and crushed her face!¡± Honestly, I felt the same way. Just thinking about what Astra had done to Rere, I didn¡¯t think I would be satisfied even if I pulled out all of her hair. But she was already kicked out, and there was nothing more we could do. At that time, the duke, who was looking at Astra, slowly walked towards us. I hurriedly went in front of Rere to protect her. ¡®What is he going to do?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s been a while, so shall we have a meal together?¡± What the hell? Just now he kicked Astra out like a madman, but now he¡¯s asking us to have a meal together all of a sudden? I stepped back and rejected his invitation. But Rere looked at me and the Duke alternately. ¡°Are you asking mom and I to eat together?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hmmm, okay! I¡¯m still angry at daddy¡­and I don¡¯t want to eat with daddy, but I should give him special permission since he wants it so much.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After answering, Rere quickly went ahead. Then I followed Rere from behind, but the Duke matched his stride with me. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, you should come along with us, too.¡± ¡°¡­Me?¡± ¡°Yes. Because you¡¯re the mother of my child.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not my mom! She¡¯s big bunny! And big bunny eats with me even if daddy doesn¡¯t ask her!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m the one who invited big bunny for this meal.¡± With a smirk on her face, Rere went back and grabbed my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go, big bunny.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go!¡± Despite his abrupt invitation, we didn¡¯t have a meal right away. Rere, who returned to the room, spent a long time washing up and changing into neat clothes. With a large ribbon wrapped around her waist, it was a dress that wasn¡¯t intended for an outdoor activity. Then she looked at me with a look of displeasure. ¡°Are you going out like that?¡± ¡°Yes? Why not?¡± ¡°¡­It looks like a maid¡¯s outfit!¡± ¡°I¡¯m comfortable with this dress.¡± Neither Leona nor I ever wore fancy clothes anyway. I stood behind Rere and looked at myself in the mirror. I didn¡¯t see any problem with my dress. It looked a bit simple, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going out. I¡¯m just having a meal at home. But Rere held my hand after a long complaint. ¡°Don¡¯t wear those clothes, big bunny.¡± ¡°Is it bad?¡± ¡°Yeah. Why are you wearing shabby clothes when your face is pretty, your lips look like cherries, and your hair shines like the stars?¡± ¡°Are you saying mom is pretty now?¡± ¡°No! I just said big bunny is pretty. No! I didn¡¯t say you were pretty! So stop saying nonsense and follow me!¡± Watching Rere, whose cheeks were flushed in embarrassment due to her own words, I quickly followed her. I was wondering where she wanted to take me, but we soon arrived at Astra¡¯s room. However, it was a little bit different from before. Many servants were busy moving back and forth through the wide open door to lift the things from inside. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are they so busy?¡± A man, who seemed to have the highest rank among the servants, quickly bowed to Rere. ¡°Mi-Miss. We¡¯re currently following master¡¯s order to remove everything here. But what brings you here?¡± The servant, who was busy giving orders to other servants while answering Rere, looked so happy. Perhaps he was one of Astra¡¯s victims. I came to that conclusion after analyzing his happy face. Rere, who was looking at the servants that carried the things out of the room, gestured to them. ¡°Then, leave out all the dresses, accessories, and shoes.¡± ¡°No, we haven¡¯t taken it out yet because we¡¯re still cleaning the living room.¡± ¡°Is that so? Everyone get out.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I said get out!¡± ¡°Ah! yes, we¡¯ll heed your order!¡± ¡°Come on! Get out!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The servants, who were stunned for a while, hurriedly fled from their positions before Rere could flare up again. ¡°It would be great if our Rere could talk a little bit more nicely.¡± ¡°What! Why!¡± ¡°No. Come to think of it, I think I¡¯ll get goosebumps if Rere spoke gently.¡± ¡°¡­Why? Is that even weirder?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded sincerely. ¡®Mother, come here. Shall we play sand together? Let¡¯s have a meal together.¡¯ ¡­Even though I only imagined it, I got goosebumps all over my body. ¡°Big bunny is acting weird.¡± ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Rere, you should stay like this. Don¡¯t change your way of speaking all of a sudden, okay?¡± ¡°¡­Now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, I suddenly want to do so.¡± Rere looked at me with eyes full of mischief. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go in.¡± Chapter 38 Chapter 38 ¡°¡­.¡± Rere, who was giggling at my stiff face, moved past me. ¡°Big bunny hates it, so I¡¯ll have to do it often.¡± In the meantime, Rere was busy checking if there was anyone in the room. The nanny naturally locked the door as though she already knew what Rere was going to do. Meanwhile, my vision scattered across the room. It was my first time seeing the Duchess¡¯ room, and it surprised me without fail. The room, which was so large that my eyes couldn¡¯t view the whole room at one glance, was so fancy and brilliant. ¡°Wow, look at all these things. It¡¯s very luxurious.¡± My eyes grew bigger and bigger due to amazement. The room that was bigger than Rere¡¯s big room was as splendid as gold itself. It was adorned in gold and red rubies. The carpets and curtains were also of top quality. What¡¯s more, even the sofa was decorated with gold, so I was quite speechless. That was amazing. Unlike me, who was busy looking around, Rere held my hand and pulled me. ¡°It¡¯s going to be Big Bunny¡¯s room anyway, so you can look around later.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I know my daddy very well, so I¡¯m sure they cleaned up this room so that Big Bunny can use it.¡± ¡°Huh..? I-Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure. I saw it earlier, and the new items in this room are similar to Big bunny¡¯s taste. I¡¯ll ask my daddy for a bigger bed. If Big bunny sleeps alone, she might cry because she¡¯s lonely.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± However, I couldn¡¯t believe what Rere said. I couldn¡¯t believe that the Duke would give me a room like this since I was quite sure he would just let me have my old room again. Although he said he¡¯d do anything for me now, knowing his personality, I didn¡¯t expect anything from him. ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°But why are we here?¡± ¡°Why are you still asking!¡± As if she chose to respond with actions rather than words, Rere hurriedly dragged me from the bedroom to the dressing room. ¡°Wow¡­that poopy head is really extravagant. She has so many dresses.¡± Rere was also surprised as if it was her first time seeing such a person. Astra was worse than any squanderer. Even the nanny couldn¡¯t hide her surprise when she opened the wardrobe and jewelry box. ¡°She has much more things than our young miss. No wonder that woman lined up the merchants as soon as she arrived here.¡± The nanny behind me quickly went to browse the dresses. ¡°My god. Look at these jewels and shoes.¡± ¡°¡­That poppy head is clearly crazy!¡± Rere pouted her lips with a look of irritation. ¡°How could that poppy head enjoy all these things? That¡¯s so annoying! My Big bunny doesn¡¯t even get to wear anything like this!¡± I was also greatly drawn away by the spectacular feast of dresses that I could only see in pictures. At that time, Rere, who had been complaining for a while, suddenly instructed the nanny. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste any more time. Nanny, choose the best jewelry and shoes that suit our Big bunny the most.¡± ¡°Pardon? Ah! Yes, I will. Let¡¯s see¡­Madam¡¯s hair is silver so she¡¯ll look good with things in the color of red ruby.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to look for the dress.¡± I was the only one standing still doing nothing. In the meantime, Rere, who was squirming like a snake between the dresses, smiled joyfully as if she had found something satisfying. ¡°Come here, Big bunny.¡± ¡°Ah, okay.¡± As soon I moved towards Rere, I was shocked again. The child was proudly pointing at the white dress adorned with diamonds on the chest area and the bottom of the dress. ¡°Rere, that¡¯s-¡± ¡°Stop talking and wear it. From now on, all the dresses here will be Big bunny¡¯s. As the Princess of this family, I will allow you to wear it.¡± ¡°¡­But still.¡± ¡°I brought a variety of shoes and accessories. It¡¯s hard to pick the right shoes and accessories between so many choices.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s put it on Big bunny.¡± ¡°No, Rere. I can¡¯t wear these¡­¡± ¡°Big bunny! If you talk nonsense one more time, I¡¯ll rip off all of Big bunny¡¯s clothes. I won¡¯t let you get dressed ever again. Do you want me to do that?¡± As expected from Rere. Then, the child pulled out a small dagger from her pocket and held it out to me. ¡°It¡¯s a dagger that my daddy always told me to carry around in case of an emergency. I¡¯m going to rip Big bunny¡¯s clothes with this.¡± ¡°Oh no!¡± I was freaked out because the child approached me while taking out her dagger. She was serious. If it was Rere, she would totally tear my clothes to shreds. ¡°If you don¡¯t like the idea of that, then take it off.¡± I had no choice but to take off my clothes when Rere urged me. ¡°Alright.¡± As if she had waited for it, the nanny began to dress me up in the dress Rere had chosen earlier. She even fastened a corset, which I have never worn before. Interestingly enough, contrary to how it looked like, the dress felt comfortable. It wasn¡¯t until twenty minutes later that Rere put down the shoes she had picked in front of me. ¡°Here¡¯s the shoes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll fit.¡± ¡°Trust me, it will fit. I saw that big bunny and that poppy head¡¯s feet looked similar.¡± ¡°Re-Really?¡± ¡°You can trust my fashion sense.¡± Meanwhile, the nanny, who untied my hair, smiled happily after putting the necklace on my neck. After she added that final touch, I was all ready. ¡°Big Bunny is so pretty. No, not the bunny, but the dress. It¡¯s like an angel¡¯s wings.¡± Rere smiled abundantly, and the nanny, who worked so hard to dress me up, clapped joyfully. ¡°Of course. Madam is very beautiful. Although Madam was already beautiful, she has become even more gorgeous.¡± ¡°Why on earth would I dress like this¡­¡± ¡°It feels good to be pretty, isn¡¯t it?!¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± As I murmured, Rere held my hand again. ¡°I like it. Then let¡¯s go eat now.¡± ¡°Wearing this?¡± ¡°This is how poopy head was always dressed! So let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°¡­Phew.¡± I felt like my ribs were about to jolt because of the corset, but luckily, the pain in my ribs slowly disappeared. Even so, that didn¡¯t make it less uncomfortable. The thought that we were going to eat while I was wearing this made me shake my head vigorously, but Rere was determined. ¡°Come on, follow me.¡± The little girl¡¯s small hand tightly held my hand so much that I eventually conceded to her demand. As expected, the servants opened their mouths when they saw me coming out of the room. ¡°Everybody, close your eyes! How dare you lay your eyes at our Big Bunny. Only my daddy is allowed to look at Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, miss.¡± ¡°And the clothes here belong to Big bunny, so don¡¯t throw it away.¡± ¡°Yes! You don¡¯t need to worry about it. In the future¡­¡± ¡°What about the future?!¡± ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ll follow your order.¡± The servant bowed his head and left, but because Rere told him to close his eyes, he went in a strange direction. ¡°It¡¯s all settled now. Let¡¯s go to the restaurant!¡± ¡°Ha¡­.. Why am I wearing this¡­¡± ¡°Come on!¡± ¡°Phew¡­okay.¡± Rere jiggled her shoulders as if she wanted to leave as soon as possible, and in the end, I went to the restaurant just as she wanted. Unexpectedly, Luca was standing at the front door of the restaurant. ¡°You look gorgeous, Ms. Leona.¡± I hadn¡¯t thanked him yet, so I was going to greet him happily. But Rere stood between us. ¡°Luca is not allowed, too. Don¡¯t look at Big Bunny. I can only let my daddy see her.¡± ¡°I understand. Then I¡¯ll keep my head down like this.¡± ¡°Fine. Open the door!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Rere, who pouted like a grumpy child, stared at me. ¡°Anyway, you shouldn¡¯t look this pretty. It¡¯s troublesome for me to block everyone like this. How annoying.¡± ¡°What did you say again?¡± ¡°No, nothing. Let¡¯s get in.¡± ¡°¡­Shall we?¡± Eventually, I had to enter the restaurant dressed up like this. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± The Duke got up from his seat after he noticed our arrival. But his expression changed in a flash as soon as he saw us. Because of his strange gaze, I walked slightly behind Rere. I didn¡¯t want to misunderstand that the Duke was looking at me, but the Duke¡¯s eyes clearly followed me. He just stood there silently, his gaze still fixed at me. ¡°Daddy, do you think Big Bunny is pretty?¡± ¡°Do I look very strange?¡± In the end, I had to say something first because I couldn¡¯t overcome his gaze. Only then did the Duke shake his head from side to side as if he just regained his senses. ¡°It¡¯s not strange at all. Let¡¯s sit down first.¡± Thank god, I didn¡¯t look strange. Suddenly, I gained some unknown confidence. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°¡­Do I look fine?¡± ¡°Ah. Didn¡¯t you see how daddy¡¯s eyes went ¡®poof¡¯?¡± ¡°Poof?¡± ¡°He fell in love at first glance.¡± At that time, the Duke shook his hands in a hurry. ¡°Rere, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I know daddy better than anyone else, so I can¡¯t be mistaken. Do you think I won¡¯t know if daddy is having a crush on Big Bunny? You don¡¯t need to hide it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Rere. I was just surprised. Because she wore Astra¡¯s clothes¡­.. That¡¯s why¡­.. ahem, ahem.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just fall in love with Big Bunny?¡± ¡°¡­We have to eat, so let¡¯s sit down.¡± His reaction was very strange. No way, right? Did you really fall in love with me at first sight or something? I looked up and down at him. The atmosphere quickly turned strange. ¡°Did you really fall in love with me at first sight? Your Grace the Duke?¡± ¡°¡­Fall in love? That can¡¯t be true. And why do you address me so? Just call me Ian.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that. There¡¯s no way I can call you in a friendly way. I¡¯d have to refuse. But still, I¡¯m relieved. I thought you really fell in love with me.¡± At my words, two straight lines crossed his forehead. There was a clear sign of discomfort in his eyes. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 As our conversation prolonged, Rere pulled my hand. ¡°You can talk later. I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Ah, right. Let¡¯s sit.¡± But Rere was just staring at the chair. ¡°Hmm. Big Bunny, sit down. Rere will sit next to Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Rere, you¡¯re not sitting next to daddy?¡± ¡°Um¡­that¡¯s right. I should sit next to daddy. Then daddy, don¡¯t sit at the top seat and come here. Daddy will sit here, Rere will sit in the middle, and Big Bunny will sit there. That would be perfect!¡± The Duke¡¯s expression slightly changed at her words. ¡°But daddy is already sitting here. How about I continue sitting here, then Rere and Leona sit on both of my sides?¡± ¡°That¡¯s really mean.¡± ¡°¡­Really? Do you think daddy is mean for doing that?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re very mean. You deserve to be kicked on the butt.¡± Ian, who briefly made a puzzled expression at the child¡¯s words, smiled and nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s do as you say.¡± Nothing was more uncomfortable than the Duke not sitting at the top seat. However, he accepted Rere¡¯s request. The Duke, who succumbed to Rere¡¯s whim, got out from his seat and sat in the seat designated by Rere. The servants who were preparing meals began to panic at the sudden change. Regardless of that, Rere was seen happily swinging her feet. Rere seemed to be tremendously happy these days. ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Big Bunny pretty?¡± As I was drinking water leisurely, Rere¡¯s words almost made me spat out the water in my mouth. Cough-! Cough-! ¡°Why are you surprised, Big bunny?¡± ¡°Ah, no, Rere. If you suddenly say that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth! We should be honest, unlike daddy, who is not honest.¡± While I was wiping my mouth in a hurry, Rere urged the Duke again. ¡°Answer me. What do you think, daddy?¡± ¡°I thought she was someone else.¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s not the right answer. You should say, you¡¯re always pretty, but you¡¯re prettier right now. That¡¯s how you do it. Silly daddy.¡± The child, who mimicked the Duke¡¯s low voice, jutted out her upper lips. ¡°¡­I-Is that so?¡± When the Duke was bewildered by her words, Rere got even more fired up. ¡°How did you give birth to me when you¡¯re this stupid?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Now, repeat what I just said.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, okay. Leona, you¡¯re always pretty, but you¡¯re prettier right now.¡± Rere smiled brightly at the Duke¡¯s words. ¡°Good job!¡± ¡°Rere, that kind of compliment should come from the heart.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s from his heart! Didn¡¯t you see my daddy earlier? When he put on a blank expression like a man in love? Even daddy can¡¯t express his feelings properly because Big bunny is so pretty.¡± I only nodded my head at her words. Meanwhile, many kinds of food were placed in front of us. It was different from the usual simple food that I ate with Rere. From roasted pork to beef steak. Rere and I, who were closely looking at the delicious foods, simultaneously turned to the Duke. ¡°Daddy, did you usually eat these delicious foods by yourself?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°Meat, meat! You¡¯re always giving me vegetables because you said it¡¯s not good for my health!¡± ¡°Rere, it¡¯s a misunderstanding. Daddy never gives you vegetables.¡± ¡°Misunderstanding? I¡¯m always eating vegetables with Big bunny! Thanks to that, my already skinny body has become thinner!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± But Rere¡¯s complaints did not stop there. ¡°From now on, give Big bunny and I good quality meat every day!¡± ¡°Ah, yes, I will. I will have them do it.¡± ¡°And give that woman¡¯s room to our Big bunny. Don¡¯t give her a room that is no different to a warehouse.¡± At her words, the Duke¡¯s eyes subtly shook. ¡°Rere, daddy already took care of it¡­¡± ¡°Why! You easily gave the room to that woman, but why not to Big bunny!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said¡­¡± ¡°You even gave her a lot of dresses, shoes, and jewelry! Look at you being speechless! You must have loved that woman, didn¡¯t you?¡± Rere shook her head and narrowed her eyes. ¡°No. I never loved her.¡± ¡°But why are you being biased!¡± I hurriedly tried to stop the angry Rere. ¡°Rere, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m glad that I got to sleep with Rere since I don¡¯t have a room.¡± ¡°But¡­darn it¡­daddy is so mean!¡± It was then that the Duke, who had been dawdling and was unable to speak, sighed deeply. ¡°The construction for Leona¡¯s room is currently in progress. I also bought a big bed so that Rere can also sleep there. So that both of you can sleep well.¡± At his words, Rere, who had been sulky, opened her mouth. ¡°Reaaally?¡± ¡°Yes. I was thinking of buying more clothes as well. Because Leona is Rere¡¯s mother.¡± A bright smile spread across Rere¡¯s face just like someone who had achieved what she wanted. ¡°Big Bunny, I told you so. Daddy is going to give the room to Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°¡­Rere, did you know that already?¡± ¡°Yes. I know what daddy has been up to. There¡¯s no way I didn¡¯t notice that the furniture in the room has changed.¡± The Duke only shook his head as if he didn¡¯t expect it. ¡°I had no idea.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why daddy should talk before I do first. If daddy had told Big bunny about this first, Big bunny would have been very touched.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± I wondered why he let out a small groan. Why did it seem like he just learned something new? ¡°Big bunny.¡± ¡°Ah, yes?¡± Rere, who smiled satisfactorily at the Duke, hurriedly looked at me. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep there together from now on.¡± The image of the extremely fancy room flashed in my mind. It was too burdensome, especially for Leona and I, who never got used to an extravagant life. ¡°No, that¡¯s too¡­¡± ¡°You can do that. I should¡¯ve done it for you from the start. For now, I chose the furniture randomly, but if you want, you can choose your own furniture. I have to get you new dresses and shoes, so I¡¯ll have to call the madam later.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too much. Since Big bunny is Rere¡¯s mom. You deserve that.¡± I couldn¡¯t refute further since the child held my hand tightly, so I only nodded. ¡°¡­Thank you for doing all of this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me.¡± ¡°Now, let¡¯s dig in! It¡¯s nice to have a family meal like this!¡± ¡°Rere. Eat slowly!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Big Bunny. You should eat too. Today, you¡¯ll be a big puppy, so I¡¯ll allow you to eat meat instead of grass!¡± I took a big bite of the steak without refuting any longer. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°From now on, let¡¯s have a family meal like this every day!¡± At her words, the duke and I nodded at the same time. A few days later. It wouldn¡¯t be good for the child to play the same game every day, so I prepared a tent. After setting up the tent with the help of others, fluffy fox fur was laid underneath it. We were thinking of lying down and making a campfire at night. Of course, as usual, Rere screamed that she didn¡¯t want to do this, but the child began to help me when she heard that we were starting a fire at night. But by the time we finished stacking up the firewoods, a blindingly fancy carriage had entered the residence. Each family had a separate emblem that symbolized the family. That emblem was engraved in the carriage. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, guests come from time to time.¡± ¡°No, something seems off.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it must be my daddy¡¯s guest.¡± While I was holding Rere nervously, the carriage stopped. As if proving that it was indeed a sudden guest, one of the servants hurriedly came out. It seemed like he went out to check who it was, but before he could even check, the carriage door opened wide. Thereafter, a man was seen jumping out of it hastily. ¡°Ah, how did you get here? Have you made an appointment¡­!¡± ¡°Why would I need to do that? Do you know who I am!¡± It was at that time that the man, who was about to infiltrate the mansion, suddenly turned his gaze in our direction. He ran towards us, huffing like an angry man. ¡°Are you that wench?! I didn¡¯t even have the time to grasp what was happening when the man with dark brown hair quickly came up at me and slapped me on the cheek. I was so lost in thought that I could only cover my cheek. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± What just happened? At that moment when I couldn¡¯t speak a single word in such a ridiculous situation, Rere, who was behind me, hurriedly went forward. ¡°Hey! How dare you hurt our Big bunny!¡± The man, who gritted his teeth at me, shifted his eyes to the child and snorted at her. ¡°Oho, you must be the so-called princess, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re just a fake princess with unknown blood! They said you¡¯re a spoiled brat, and it seems like they¡¯re right.¡± The man, who suddenly came and hit me, raised his hand towards Rere. ¡°It¡¯s all because of this damned brat!¡± I suddenly got back to my senses. You could hit me, but not my baby. So I grabbed the man¡¯s hand roughly. ¡°How dare you hit my daughter!¡± ¡°What? Who the hell are you! This wench! Let go of my hand! How can you touch my hand with your dirty hand!¡± ¡°Did you say I¡¯m a wench?! I¡¯m Duchess Petri and Rebecca Petri¡¯s mother! My dirty hand? Your hands that hit anyone at your sight are dirtier!¡± Although that man¡¯s power was too strong for me to endure, it didn¡¯t matter. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 I believed that if I let go of his hand, it would land on the child. For that reason, I held his hand as tightly as I could and didn¡¯t let go. ¡°Nanny, take Rere away!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°No! Let go of me!¡± But the nanny still held Rere in her arms despite her struggle. At that time, another person got out of the carriage. The woman who came looking this way approached us with a cruel look. It was Astra. After looking at Astra with my swollen face, I was able to know the identity of the man who appeared all of sudden and made a fuss. ¡°Father, that¡¯s enough.¡± The man who slapped me and tried to hit Rere was Astra¡¯s father. ¡°Do you think that I will stay still! My daughter has become like this¡­!¡± He couldn¡¯t hold back his anger, so he shrugged off my hand and raised his hand again. At that time, someone twisted his hand from behind. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°How dare you lay your hand at her!¡± In a blink of an eye, Duke Petri¡¯s knights already surrounded the area with their swords pointed at the man. The atmosphere quickly changed, but the uninvited guest was busy getting angry even though his arm was broken. ¡°You¡¯d better stay away.¡± Luca, who approached me warmly, grabbed me and pulled me back. In addition, he kindly took his handkerchief and gave it to me. I could feel the blood on my lips because of the unexpected assault. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡­I¡¯m fine.¡± Meanwhile, Rere came down from the nanny¡¯s arms and grabbed my hand. ¡°Big Bunny! Are you okay?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Luca, who had been looking closely at us, clenched his teeth and fists. ¡°How dare he slap Leona in the face. I really want to kill him.¡± Luca quickly erased his smiling face and glared at the angry man. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Rere, come here. I¡¯ll give you a hug.¡± ¡°No! I asked if your face is okay!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Damn¡­your lips are bleeding! That crazy guy! I won¡¯t let this slide!¡± However, the rapidly changing situation made us hesitate to intervene. ¡°What the hell are you doing barging into someone else¡¯s house?!¡± The Duke asked, but the brown haired man glared at Duke Ian as soon as his arm was released. ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you something! I can¡¯t hold back my anger when I see that wench!¡± ¡°¡­Duke Arvida.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make you regret what you just did.¡± ¡°Nonsense! Duke Ian Petri! You¡¯re going to make me regret it? Go ahead and stab me! You know I¡¯m also a Duke, but you¡¯re disrespecting me like this?¡± The Duke nodded at his words, and the knights withdrew their swords. Only then did Duke Arvida, who tidied up his clothes, glare at us and grind his teeth towards Ian. But before he could say anything, Ian opened his mouth first. ¡°First of all, let¡¯s go inside and talk. Duke.¡± Duke Ian Petri, who was 20 years younger than Duke Arvida, did not bow down at all. On the contrary, Duke Arvida looked pathetic. ¡°You think I¡¯m willing to go in and talk¡­.! After all the humiliation my daughter received?¡± ¡°¡­When I think about what you¡¯ve just done, I want to cut off your neck even if you¡¯re a Duke, but I held back. So stop spouting nonsense and follow me. Unless you want to die miserably here.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a threat, it¡¯s my sincerity. So shut up and walk.¡± ¡°Eugh¡­I won¡¯t forget this disgrace!¡± Ian didn¡¯t answer. As if he didn¡¯t think the angry man was a big deal, he turned around. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside and listen to what you have to say. You¡¯ll have to apologize for what you did to my daughter.¡± There was no answer from Duke Arvida. ¡°¡­Leona and Rere, come with me.¡± Duke Ian then looked at me with droopy eyes as if he was sorry about what happened. Duke Arvida was the one at fault, but why did he make that face? A part of my heart felt heavy. ¡°Big Bunny, let¡¯s go. I think something funny will happen soon.¡± ¡°Huh? We¡¯re coming, too?¡± ¡°Yup! Daddy¡¯s waiting.¡± It wasn¡¯t a pleasant meeting, so I hesitated for a bit. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°¡­Luca is always so kind.¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m kinder than him!¡± Rere, who saw Luca pat me on the arm, tightened her grip on my hand. ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± ¡°Yup. So let¡¯s go now. I¡¯ll protect you, Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Okay. I should believe in Luca and Rere.¡± I followed in their footsteps at their persuasion. No words were spoken along the way. The hall was only filled with Duke Arvida¡¯s rambling. After a while, we arrived at the Duke¡¯s drawing room. Last time, it was transformed into a chocolate room for Rere. I came here a few times, but a big accident always occurred here, so I felt a sense of familiarity when we entered the room. Upon arriving there, Duke Arvida raised his voice to Ian and stretched his shoulders. ¡°If any of this humiliating act towards Duke Arvida is revealed, I will tell the Emperor directly and hold a noble trial!¡± ¡°Great. I have a lot to say, too.¡± Duke Arvida¡¯s face became dark by his adamant words. He only snorted as if he was very annoyed, perhaps because the situation didn¡¯t turn in his favor. Meanwhile, Ian sat at the top seat. ¡°I don¡¯t want to serve you tea, and whether you sit down or not, I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°¡­Ha? Just now¡­Let¡¯s see how much longer you can keep up with that confidence, Duke!¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident because I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Before that, Rere and Leona should sit down first. Both of you aren¡¯t sinners, so you don¡¯t have to stand.¡± Contrary to his voice towards Duke Arvida, he had a gentler tone now. Even as I stood there dawdling, he tapped the sofa next to me. As though he wanted me to sit down. ¡°Daddy told us to sit. So let¡¯s sit down.¡± At Rere¡¯s urging, I walked to the seat. ¡°I¡¯ll sit on mom¡¯s lap!¡± ¡°You¡¯re calling me mom again?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s a slip of tongue! Don¡¯t get me wrong!¡± The grumbling Rere quickly climbed to my lap. As Duke Arivda looked at us, he urged his daughter, who was impolitely sitting down, to get up. He pushed her in front of Ian. ¡°I¡¯m here to confirm the story. My daughter¡­I heard that you kicked her out in a shameful manner, and also threatened her. Is that true?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you the same thing. Did you try to hit my wife and child over a trivial thing?¡± ¡°¡­.Trivial thing?! Duke!¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed a trivial thing.¡± ¡°Ha. You¡¯re absolutely crazy. That wench and child deserved to be hit! That¡¯s why I hit them!¡± ¡°Deserved to be hit? Do you think you won¡¯t regret what you just said?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°How admirable. Speaking of which, I¡¯m still regretting it. I still regret that I didn¡¯t twist her neck at once.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Duke Ian Petri¡¯s face became cold at once. ¡°I¡¯m really curious, Duke Arvida. What do you want to hear so bad that you came here in person? I honestly don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Explain! How dare you kick my daughter out. Let¡¯s talk about your impertinence!¡± Ian leaned back leisurely. ¡°If you knew what your daughter did in my residence and how much insolence she committed, you wouldn¡¯t be able to come out so confidently.¡± ¡°Insolence?! It can¡¯t be!¡± Duke Arvida¡¯s eyes turned to his daughter who stood next to him. ¡°That¡¯s right, father. That¡¯s nonsense! I¡¯ve never been rude. Such things never happened!¡± However, Astra¡¯s hands were shaking. Ian, who was tapping the armchair with his legs crossed, seemed to be having fun. ¡°Nonsense? After everything you¡¯ve done to my daughter?¡± ¡°I-I was just teaching her!¡± ¡°And you tried to hurt my daughter. Didn¡¯t you tell the other kids to make strange rumors and ignore my daughter?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­! I told you before, the child didn¡¯t listen to me, so I¡¯m just trying to break that bad habit of hers¡­¡± Only then did Astra stammer. ¡°That day, I truly wanted to kill you.¡± ¡°¡­But I¡¯m not lying! It¡¯s just¡­!¡± ¡°Just what? Why don¡¯t you make a fool of yourself more with that mouth?¡± Her face reddened again as everyone in the room turned to her. But Duke Arvida quickly intercepted. ¡°It can¡¯t be! No way!¡± ¡°If she could do that much, then I could get mad and threaten her, too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s!¡± ¡°Why? You tried to hit my daughter, so why can¡¯t I do the same thing?¡± ¡°¡­My daughter is a princess!¡± ¡°My daughter is also a princess.¡± Duke Arvida tried to say something, but he couldn¡¯t, perhaps because he could sense the stinging gazes from the people in the room. ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± I knew what he was thinking even though he didn¡¯t say it. I tightened my grip on Rere¡¯s waist. He was going to talk nonsense about Rere¡¯s birth again. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me more?¡± ¡°¡­In any case, apologize for hitting my daughter!¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll hold a noble trial for abusing your wife! No matter how noble you are, the law of the empire forbids you from abusing your wife! I¡¯ll make you regret it, Duke Petri!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 41 Chapter 41 What Duke Arvida said was true. In Leona¡¯s memory, there was information about this country. This empire upheld monogamy for generations and valued the obligations of couples. But that didn¡¯t mean you couldn¡¯t get a new wife. The emperor used to depose or execute his wives and empresses using all kinds of reasons to bring in a new empress. The same was true for the rest of the nobles. The long-lasting monogamy law became a harmful law. Because of that law, if the nobles were unhappy with their wives, they would say that their wives cheated on them or had flaws. They even went as far as murdering their wives. ¡°How funny,¡± As if Duke Arvida had waited, he took a piece of paper out of his arms. ¡°You can clearly see your handwriting and stamp here, yet now you¡¯re denying it?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know either. I don¡¯t remember doing so, and I think someone else stamped it, pretending to be me. I don¡¯t use such a crude stamp.¡± At his words, Duke Arvida went through the documents and burst into laughter as if it was ridiculous. ¡°Th-this¡­but you certainly came!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never been there. Oh, Luca, did you go?¡± Luca, who stood next to him, smiled and nodded as if he enjoyed the situation. ¡°I think so. Perhaps, I¡¯m the one who came.¡± ¡°¡­Th-that¡¯s ridiculous! There¡¯s no way we wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell the difference between a duke and a knight.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re the ones who kept saying nonsense. In any case, thanks to the stupid father and daughter, I¡¯ve solved my problems.¡± ¡°Yo-your problems?¡± ¡°Did you really think I was going to fall for that woman and marry her? I¡¯m not a fool. It was only to reveal your dirty works¡­haven¡¯t you noticed?¡± Duke Arvida flinched and bit his lips. ¡°Ju-just now, what did you say¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the right time for you to do this. If you make one wrong move, you may lose everything you¡¯ve obtained illegally so far.¡± Looking at Ian smiling in a relaxed manner, Duke Arvida¡¯s face stiffened as if he sensed that something bad was going to happen. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to kick me out with that kind of threat¡­¡± ¡°If I had any intention of kicking you out, I would¡¯ve done so from the start. I could¡¯ve instructed the knight to drag you out and never let you in. That should¡¯ve been enough. Why do you think I let you in?¡± When Duke Arvida¡¯s arrogant attitude faded away, Ian took something out of the drawer next to the sofa. He took out the stamp from the drawer as if it was purposely placed there. ¡°I¡¯ll show you in case you don¡¯t believe me. It makes no sense for you to make such a fuss here.¡± Duke Arvida¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°This is my real stamp.¡± ¡°Huh¡­!¡± ¡°The one in your hands hasn¡¯t even been notarized.¡± Duke Arvida, who tried to soothe his agitation, made a deep sigh as if he could make an objective judgment in this situation. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. This can¡¯t be like this. No wonder! I should have known when you wanted to register the marriage behind schedule!¡± ¡°But Duke Arvida made everything easier for me. You thought I was married to Princess Arvida, so you shared your information with me easily. Thank you for that. But I won¡¯t go easy on you and your daughter for hitting my wife and making fun of my daughter¡¯s birth.¡± Ian nodded his head, and in a flash, the knights were already standing around Duke Arvida. They seemed to be ready to drag him out anytime. Only then did Duke Arvida feel as if something was wrong and clenched his fists tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t grab me, I¡¯ll go out on my own.¡± ¡°Oh, father! Why are you leaving? Didn¡¯t you just realize how harsh I was treated here?!¡± Astra, who had only been looking at the situation, had her face flushed red. ¡°Be quiet and follow me, Astra.¡± ¡°What? What are you doing? I¡¯ve been through a lot! Father!¡± ¡°¡­I need to check something first. You can always make a fuss after that.¡± ¡°Father, you should speak up! I¡¯m the duchess, and you said you¡¯re going to scold that man!¡± But Duke Arvida only dragged his daughter with a pale face. ¡°Follow me first. If only you hadn¡¯t fallen for him at first sight!¡± He was in such a hurry to leave as if he was worried about something. Eventually, Astra, who was so annoyed at the fact that she was dragged away, shouted. ¡°I won¡¯t sit still! Don¡¯t think this is the end! I¡¯ll make you regret it!¡± Yes, yes. Goodbye. I waved my hand calmly. I hoped that she would never return. Perhaps because my gesture angered her, she shook off her father¡¯s hand and ran towards me. ¡°But I¡¯m so angry. Every time I see that wench¡¯s face, I get so angry. I can¡¯t just leave like this.¡± But in an instant, Ian got up from his seat and grabbed her hand. ¡°What are you doing to my woman?¡± ¡°Kyaah!¡± ¡°Do you want me to break your arm? Is that what you want?¡± ¡°Ha, let go. It¡¯s annoying! So annoying!¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain that you want to die so badly.¡± ¡°Look at what that beggar has done to me!¡± ¡°Princess Astra. Even if you¡¯re the only Ducal Princess in the empire, you should not do this. She is a duchess. You shouldn¡¯t treat her recklessly like this. If you keep making a fuss here, I¡¯ll consider it as a declaration of war on Duke Petri.¡± Only then did Duke Arvida rush in and snatch his daughter¡¯s hand. ¡°Come out now!¡± ¡°Father! Are you going to let this slide? I won¡¯t leave even if I die!¡± Astra was busy throwing a tantrum like a child. So, I came closer to her. ¡°You¡¯re not even a child, so cut it out and leave.¡± ¡°Ha, wh-what? How dare a wench like you say that to me?¡± ¡°Watch your mouth. Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m the real duchess here? If so, you should behave accordingly. Get out of here before we drag you out shamefully. Do you understand, Princess Astra Arvida?¡± At that time, Duke Ian smiled pleasantly and nodded. Not long after, the room was filled with knights to the point that it was so crowded. ¡°Disrespecting the duchess equals disrespecting the duke. Aren¡¯t you curious? Of what the consequences are?¡± I feel alive. An unknown chill filled the room because of my words. Duke Arvida¡¯s face suddenly hardened. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡± ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± The room became colder in an instant. I tightly wrapped Rere in my arms in case she felt cold. Meanwhile, Duke Arvida¡¯s face was so crumpled that he looked hideous. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s get out of here first. Follow me, Astra! I won¡¯t tolerate any rebellion even if you¡¯re my daughter.¡± Was it because of my words? Or was it the chilly atmosphere I felt a little while ago? Astra, who was glaring at us, was eventually dragged by Duke Arvida. After looking at the scene quietly, I finally sat on the sofa once they left. ¡°Ha¡­finally.¡± ¡°Try to come again. I¡¯m going to step on your feet!¡± Rere, who was in my arms the whole time, puckered her lips. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Big bunny, I would¡¯ve beaten them up!¡± ¡°Really? Then Rere should give them a lesson next time.¡± At that time, Rere, who sat on my lap, turned around and made eye contact with me. The child¡¯s small hand patted my cheek carefully. ¡°Your cheek is red. It¡¯s swollen. Just how hard did you get hit?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay. What should we play now?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not playing anymore!¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to bed. Big bunny is pretending to be fine. So, I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡± Rere was determined. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Hoam~ I¡¯m sleepy.¡± ¡°Re-really?¡± ¡°Yes, so stop talking and follow me.¡± Rere, who suddenly yawned, pulled me away. I had no choice but to leave my seat and follow Rere. I would normally just walk out like that, but the Duke had been bothering me lately. Therefore, I stopped and looked at the duke first. ¡°We¡¯ll return to the room now.¡± I thought he was going to say something, but there was no reply from the duke. He just looked sideways with a face full of worries. While the two were on their way to Rebecca¡¯s room, Duke Arvida forced Astra into the carriage and returned to their residence. Astra, who was forced into the carriage by her own father to the point that her arms were red, screamed. ¡°Father! What the hell is this! Why did it turn out like this?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re my precious daughter, but I always told you to be a useful person.¡± ¡°Just like father said, I wanted to be a useful person, so I became a duchess. You supported me back then, but now that I became one, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 42 Chapter 42 At that time, Duke Arvida¡¯s eyes turned sharp. ¡°How stupid. You¡¯re the one who fell in love at first sight and wanted to be the duchess! You made a fuss even though two people already quit!¡± His hands trembled. He thought Duke Ian Petri would benefit him the most, so he contacted Duke Petri as soon as he knew about his daughter¡¯s feelings. Everything was done in a hurry. ¡®I should have known better.¡¯ Such disgrace. At that time, he hurriedly seized the chance in fear that he would lose the duchess¡¯ seat. He never thought that it¡¯ll strangle him in the end. He should have doubted when Duke Petri wanted his daughter. Damn it. He hoped that it wouldn¡¯t turn into a serious problem. He hoped that Duke Petri¡¯s leniency and calmness were just a means to kick him out. ¡®No, it can¡¯t be.¡¯ However, Astra, who couldn¡¯t read the Duke¡¯s mind, made another fuss. ¡°Father!¡± ¡°Shut up. I¡¯m not in a good mood.¡± Duke Arvida, who was biting his fingernails anxiously in a fast-running carriage, pulled the curtain and looked out the window. ¡®What could it be? What is this ominous feeling?¡¯ He was thinking of destroying Duke Petri before. Three dukedoms became the pillar of the empire. Among them was Petri Dukedom with many interesting rumors surrounding it, and those rumors alone were enough to bring down Duke Petri. Duke Petri, who allegedly dealt with the empire¡¯s dirty laundry, had so many weaknesses. He had been waiting for this chance. If two families merged into one, he would trample on the young duke Petri and gain the upper hand. It would be great if his daughter gave birth to a son to get rid of Rebecca as the official successor. That way, he could try to remove the name of Petri Dukedom permanently. He got his daughter married for all that¡­ ¡®Weird. It¡¯s too weird.¡¯ He felt like his head was torn into pieces. But what made the headache even more dreadful was the mysterious force earlier. Such an unexpected strength. He recalled a rumor circulating in high society which said that Duke Petri has a strange power. The existence of magicians was long gone from this empire, but it is rumored that Duke Petri was the only one who had magic power. Duke Arvida, who thought it was only a rumor created by someone to boost Duke Petri¡¯s reputation, finally realized. ¡®It¡¯s real. The ground was shaking and I felt a tremendous cold air that made my body tremble.¡¯ Everything was so vile. He hated his daughter for ignoring his words even though he told her to get along with Duke Petri. ¡°What the hell did you do there!¡± ¡°Are you angry at me? I¡¯m a victim! You told me to make a fuss to pressure Duke Petri!¡± ¡°Read the room, won¡¯t you! It¡¯s not been long since you entered the house, yet you¡¯ve done something atrocious to the point that they kicked you out!¡± ¡°Atrocious?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you got kicked out. How useless! I can¡¯t believe I raised you. Do you want to keep throwing mud at me during important times!¡± Duke Arvida, who pretended to be a dignified nobleman all this time, raised his hand as if to hit his daughter. ¡°I¡¯m just doing what father told me to¡­!¡± ¡°Shut up! This won¡¯t happen if you just followed what I said. Stupid girl.¡± Astra shuddered when her father, who had always been on her side, blamed her. ¡°You¡¯re only doing useless things. You fell for that bastard just by looking at his face.¡± ¡°Ha. Did you not remember praising me for doing a good job?¡± ¡°Shut up, you useless thing! How dare you raise your voice!¡± ¡°¡­Fa-father. How can you say that? I¡¯m the victim! You¡¯re the one who encouraged me!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it. Stop whining!¡± His hands trembled due to his desire to destroy something. ¡®Duke Petri. The reason why nobody could touch him despite doing such terrible work¡­ Was it because of his power?¡¯ A power unrivaled to anyone. That was why the Emperor left him alone. ¡°Father!¡± ¡°Shut up. It¡¯s noisy. You¡¯re exactly like your mother! So loud!¡± Eventually, he raised his hand fiercely and punched the carriage wall, barely holding his anger. But Princess Astra was the only child of Duke Arvida. Because of that, he couldn¡¯t say anything more and only glared fiercely at his daughter. ¡®One more word and I won¡¯t go easy on you.¡¯ Only then did the princess shut her mouth. His lips were shaking incessantly due to anger. Meanwhile, the carriage gradually slowed down. They arrived at Duke Arvida¡¯s residence. He would normally hold her daughter¡¯s hand and pretend to be a courteous father, but he was in a hurry. ¡°I want you to find out right at this instant!¡± ¡°Wh-What do you mean?¡± ¡°What did that bastard Duke Ian Petri have been up to? Whether he did something to our family or not! Investigate thoroughly if anything strange is going on.¡± ¡°Pardon? He¡¯s the princess¡¯ husband¡­¡± ¡°Husband?! He got me fooled from the beginning. Completely fooled. So find out everything. Everything he¡¯s been doing to our family!¡± It wasn¡¯t until the butler heard of the reason that he hurried out. The knights of Duke Arvida and the servants moved at the duke¡¯s order. And it wasn¡¯t until that evening that he could hear an answer. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Thanks to his greed of trying to eat something too big for him, Duke Arvida belatedly realized that he had lost too much due to one mistake. The red sunset had gone and the darkness came upon us. I woke up from time to time, but I was too tired and ended up sleeping for quite a while with Rere. A night without moonlight. A caring hand touched my sleeping face. It was both warm and cold. The hand I felt in my sleep was so soft. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± Someone¡¯s voice was heard. It was definitely a man. Was it the Duke or Luca? I had to open my eyes, but somehow, I was so tired that I couldn¡¯t even open my eyes. ¡°Mhm¡­¡± ¡®Who are you? I have to say something.¡¯ But I could only mumble my words. Was it Luca? Did he put me to sleep? Otherwise, I couldn¡¯t be this sleepy. At that time, the soft hand caressed my cheek. It felt like he applied ointment since the texture was rough. However, the warm hand touched my cheeks for a long time, and I fell asleep again. Next morning. I felt like something poking my cheek, so I slowly opened my eyes. ¡°Mmh¡­¡± ¡°Wake up!¡± I could hear Rere¡¯s refreshing voice. When I opened my eyes completely, I could see Rere smiling brighter than ever. As soon as she saw me, Rere waved her hands as if pleased. ¡°You¡¯re up! You¡¯re not dead!¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± Then I woke up and rubbed my eyes. The nanny and maids were standing around me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with everyone?¡± ¡°Oh my god, we thought there was something wrong with you, madam.¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°Because you didn¡¯t wake up until late in the afternoon.¡± Only then did I look around. The sky over the window was a little dark to call it daytime. ¡°Ahh.¡± ¡°Do you know how worried I am because I thought Big Bunny was dead!¡± ¡°Did you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me started. Our miss said she won¡¯t eat if you don¡¯t wake up.¡± ¡°And I told her that madam was just sleeping, but she¡¯s been throwing a fit about calling the doctor¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you all be quiet!¡± It wasn¡¯t until Rere screamed that they hurriedly shut up. ¡°Anyway! It¡¯s fine now since Big Bunny is up.¡± While looking at the embarrassed Rere who turned her eyes away, I hugged the child¡¯s body and lied down again. ¡°Aww, our Rere is worried. I feel good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried. Let go of me, I feel so stuffy.¡± ¡°Should I let go?¡± Unlike her words, Rere buried her tiny head in my chest and tried to hold back her grin. ¡°No! Bi-Big bunny wants it. So I can stay a little longer.¡± The grumpy child finally loosened her body. Thanks to that, I could hold Rere in my arms for a long time. Her head smelled like warm sunlight. As well as the smell of a clean blanket that was exposed to the sun. My mind was so relaxed as I held Rere in my arms. But then, ¡°Have you woken up?¡± I heard a man¡¯s voice. Only then did I wake up with a half-hearted smile. Just in case it was the duke who came inside. ¡°..Are you coming to see me wake up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just standing here.¡± ¡°I thought you were suddenly interested in me.¡± Could someone who was cold until recently change so quickly? Even if he did, there was no way I¡¯d be happy to see the duke like that. ¡°¡­Of course, you¡¯re my wife.¡± ¡°Wife, huh? Sadly, I never thought of myself as your wife. Of course, I¡¯ve been bluffing about being a Duchess and all that in front of Astra, but I have no desire to be your wife.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also fine if you¡¯re just going to be Rere¡¯s mother. Rere, let¡¯s get up now.¡± ¡°Yeah! Ah, I¡¯m hungry. Our Big Bunny is also hungry, right? Let¡¯s eat!¡± I didn¡¯t care about what kind of expression the duke made. It doesn¡¯t matter now, and it won¡¯t matter in the future either. I had given up my desire to look good in front of him completely. All that matters to me now is to get along with Rere and cure her illness. ¡°I understand your feelings. If you¡¯re going to have a meal, I will join you.¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 But his thinking was completely different from mine. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to do that. I can have a meal together with Rere¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel burdened. I haven¡¯t had my meal anyways.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t eaten until now?¡± There was no answer. The Duke only beckoned his servants to prepare the meal. ¡°Good. We can eat here together.¡± But the long table was already conveniently sitting in Rere¡¯s room, and the servants quickly went outside to prepare the meal. I was looking at the Duke in bewilderment, but Luca, who was standing next to the Duke, smiled leisurely. His smile seemed to confirm that the Duke hasn¡¯t eaten yet. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be uncomfortable to eat with us?¡± Saying this much must be enough to get him back to his senses, but he was quite a stubborn guy. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± No, you might be fine, but not me. ¡°Regretfully, I feel uncomfortable.¡± In the end, I spit out the words in my mind. This is the strength and weakness I gained while staying with Rere. Spitting out everything without hiding your thoughts. But my words didn¡¯t get through him. ¡°I think it¡¯s better to do something than stay idly still, so I want to spend time together.¡± The Duke¡¯s gaze touched Rere more dimly than usual. ¡®So it¡¯s not me, but Rere.¡¯ I realized right away that I misunderstood, so I took a step back. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll eat separately then¡­¡± ¡°No, you usually eat with Rere, so let¡¯s eat together today.¡± Then Rere gently held my hand. ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s eat together, Big Bunny! From now on, all three of us should eat together!¡± ¡°If Rere wants to¡­I shall do that. But Rere, do you really want it?¡± I wouldn¡¯t do this if not for the child. Frankly speaking, having a meal time with him was nauseating. But I had to accept his invitation because the child asked for it. ¡°Then get it ready.¡± The servants, who had stopped working for a moment as if waiting for my answer, quickly filled the long table. The Duke stealthily tried to sit at the top seat, but Rere quickly ran and occupied the seat before him. ¡°This is Rere¡¯s seat!¡± ¡°Okay. Do as Rere wants.¡± ¡°Yay! I feel great!¡± Looking at Rere, whose cheeks seemed about to explode, I sat next to her. ¡°Do you like it so much?¡± ¡°Yeah! Everyone is here. I looooove it so much!¡± I smiled at the excited child. She swung her tiny feet back and forth. ¡°Rere. You seem to be into painting these days.¡± At that moment, the child¡¯s feet stopped moving instantly. ¡°Ah, no, that¡¯s¡­Rere is not into painting¡­¡± ¡°Feel free to do that.¡± Rere¡¯s mouth turned round after mumbling as if she didn¡¯t know what excuse to make. ¡°C-can I paint? Can I really do that?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you know why daddy wouldn¡¯t let you paint?¡± ¡°¡­Yes¡­kind of..¡± The child, who was unsure, mumbled to herself. Meanwhile, the Duke leaned down with his chin resting on his hand. ¡°Your mother loved to paint. Her body was weak, so she used to paint in her room all the time.¡± So the Duke was someone who could show that kind of eyes. Anyone could see the despair in his eyes. Maybe he loved his wife a lot. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t allow you to do that. Since Rere¡¯s body is not well either. I¡¯m scared that you¡¯ll follow in your mother¡¯s footsteps.¡± ¡°No! Rere is strong! Sometimes Rere is sick¡­but Rere will eventually get better!¡± The Duke¡¯s eyes had become more lonesome than before. There was no medicine that could cure Rere. It was the predetermined plot of the novel. There was no clear way to save the child¡¯s life until she was eventually killed by others. ¡®I want to save her. I can¡¯t help but be greedy to save my child.¡¯ The Duke would do his best to find a way, too. Both in the novel and right now. But the fact that he couldn¡¯t find any cure so far meant that everything was hopeless for now. ¡®I can¡¯t understand. Why can¡¯t he figure out the cause of her illness?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t believe that a very capable duke couldn¡¯t cure his daughter¡¯s illness. Even though he was a man with so much money and a mana stone mine. Why can¡¯t he? So I looked at the Duke. He clearly couldn¡¯t hide his sad eyes because he had as many worries as I had. ¡°Yes. Our Rere should be healthy, so let¡¯s eat.¡± His cool eyes softened up. I didn¡¯t know whether it was because he was in front of his daughter or because he knew about the child¡¯s future, but my heart sank a little. ¡®Those eyes that seem to know the future.¡¯ It strangely bothered me. ¡°Yes! I will eat a lot from now on!¡± Rere filled her mouth with food eagerly. Enough of this. A child just needs to grow up like a child. Let the adults solve the health problem. ¡°Big Bunny and daddy should eat, too. I know I¡¯m pretty.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t look at me like that, I know I¡¯m pretty.¡± Both the Duke and I were speechless at the child¡¯s sudden declaration. ¡°I know everyone is watching me because I¡¯m pretty. Did you both become speechless because you got caught looking at me?¡± After a long pause, we eventually burst into laughter. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s because Rere is too cute.¡± ¡°How about daddy? Is it only Big Bunny who thinks so?¡± ¡°No. Our Rere is pretty and lovely.¡± ¡°By the way¡­daddy, do you love my mother so much?¡± ¡°Your mother?¡± ¡°Yes. Why would I be talking about another child¡¯s mother?¡± The Duke smiled and put a small piece of sliced meat on Rere¡¯s plate. ¡°I love her more than anyone else.¡± ¡°Really? Then you should also love our Big Bunny the same way. Okay? Honestly, it¡¯s a loss for our Big Bunny to be with daddy, but I wish my family would last for a long time¡­¡± ¡°¡­Huh? It¡¯s a loss to be with daddy?¡± ¡°Of course. You have a bad personality, and you¡¯re not that handsome either. Meanwhile, our Big Bunny is pretty and lovely. That¡¯s not all. She¡¯s also foolishly kind and treats me nicely. I¡¯m worried about Big Bunny if she stays with daddy.¡± Neither the Duke nor I could hide our embarrassment. In particular, the Duke seemed more bewildered than I am. ¡°Rere. Even if I look like this, I¡¯m quite popular outside, you know?¡± Rere only smirked at the Duke who didn¡¯t want to lose. ¡°That¡¯s funny.¡± ¡°Rere¡­how can you make fun of daddy¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, daddy is nothing much. If I could choose, I¡¯ll choose Luca rather than daddy.¡± ¡°¡­But daddy is also better in other aspects.¡± ¡°Ah! There is! I know daddy¡¯s good side!¡± The Duke¡¯s expectations soared more than ever. ¡°Daddy is rich.¡± ¡°Rich¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What do you expect? Daddy has no conscience anyway. Daddy¡¯s conscience is just like crap laying around on the floor, so don¡¯t expect anything.¡± Rere gave me the piece of meat the Duke had given to her earlier. ¡°Big Bunny should eat.¡± ¡°Rere should eat more than I do. Speaking of which, Rere, didn¡¯t you just say mom is pretty, lovely, and kind?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m just saying it. Geez, I can¡¯t seem to say anything. Let¡¯s stop talking nonsense and eat.¡± Rere immediately gobbled up the meat. I was left speechless by her behavior. But it didn¡¯t matter as long as Rere was happy. The child looked happier than ever. Of course, I felt troubled because I was unable to hear more about her mother¡¯s story, but I didn¡¯t want to risk hurting the child who wasn¡¯t ready to talk about her yet. ¡®I¡¯m sure Rere will open up to me someday.¡¯ Because I believe in Rere. The meal went by more smoothly than I thought. Just when I thought the dessert would be served, the Duke slightly pulled his chair back. ¡°Let¡¯s have tea outside. There¡¯s a tree swing in the garden. It¡¯s Rere¡¯s favorite place.¡± ¡°No way. Rose garden?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Really? Can I really go there? But daddy doesn¡¯t like it if I go there..¡± For a moment, I could see the sorrow resurface in the Duke¡¯s eyes. His red eyes, which I always found upsetting, were watery and seemed vulnerable. Something must be going on in that place. ¡°You can go. I can¡¯t forbid you forever.¡± After the Duke sighed deeply, he rose from his seat and took Rere¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Really¡­? Really? Daddy, you¡¯re being weird. Didn¡¯t you get angry when I went there last time?¡± Although Rere thought something was off with the current situation, she got up from her seat. She was so excited and jumped around. ¡°Are we really going? You won¡¯t be angry, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°¡­What kind of place is it that you wouldn¡¯t let Rere go there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the rose garden that Rere¡¯s mother decorated.¡± ¡°Have you decided to talk about her from now on?¡± At that time, before I could hear his answer, I was dragged by the excited Rere. ¡°Hurry up!¡± ¡°Rere. Slow down.¡± Then the Duke, who was looking at us, let out a small voice. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to face it. I used to avoid it¡­but now I know I should because of you. Thank you.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go.¡± I was wondering if I really saw him smile at me. It might be an illusion, but his eyes were as sweet as they were towards Rere. I wanted to ask why the man, who used to kick me out and throw a fit, was looking at me with such sweet and kind eyes, but Rere already dragged me far away from him. ¡°Rere, do you like it that much?¡± ¡°Yes! Big Bunny never goes there, so you have no idea. The rose garden is really beautiful. There are so many flowers and tree swings. There¡¯s even a slide!¡± The child, who was beyond excited, walked faster than ever. How long did I walk? The place that I faced right now was extraordinary. It was full of roses. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°What do you say? Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Rere already sprinted to the secluded corner of the rose garden before I could even stop her. She looked just like a puppy who is excited by a sudden snowfall. ¡°Look how happy you are.¡± Perhaps because it was the brightest Rere I¡¯ve ever seen, my smile deepened. One step later, I also looked around the rose garden. There was a small pond in the cozy garden. As Rere said, there were slides and swings. The rose vines twirled up the swing branchlet splendidly. I smiled satisfactorily and followed the child. ¡°It¡¯s literally a rose garden.¡± The rose-decorated archway that is similar to a wedding hall accentuated its beauty. While I was bedazzled by the simple yet aesthetically pleasing garden, the Duke approached me. ¡°I wanted to show you this place.¡± How weird. His warm and friendly smile reminded me of Luca. ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°Why? Because it¡¯s the most beautiful place in the castle.¡± No, I mean¡­why are you looking at me like that? But the Duke took my question differently. ¡°It suits you.¡± ¡°You know fully well those words don¡¯t suit you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± But then something ran over my leg and bumped it. ¡°Big bunny!¡± ¡°Oh, Rere.¡± ¡°Geez. How long do I have to wait? I watched it alone because daddy and Big bunny are having a love quarrel here. The garden is pretty, you know.¡± ¡°Lo-love quarrel? Rere, you¡¯re mistaken.¡± I already said it over and over again. That guy is not my style. Even if I die and be reborn several times, I don¡¯t want to get associated with him. ¡®That doesn¡¯t mean I want to die though¡­¡¯ ¡°But it¡¯s understandable. I wouldn¡¯t want to have a love quarrel with daddy, either. Daddy is not attractive.¡± The Duke snorted as if upset, but then he hunched over and hugged Rere. ¡°Daddy is already attractive by simply existing, Rere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the funniest thing I¡¯ve heard lately. Look, daddy. There¡¯s a saying that people need to know their places.¡± ¡°Rere. Where did you learn such difficult words?¡± ¡°Oh. I learned those when Big bunny was reading strange books next to me. Anyway, that¡¯s not the point. Daddy! You need to know your place. A married man with a child can¡¯t live with Big bunny!¡± The Duke¡¯s face visibly stiffened. ¡°Rere. It¡¯s true that daddy is a married man with a child, but¡­now..¡± ¡°Now what?! Gosh¡­how frustrating. This is why I keep wanting to change my daddy!¡± ¡°¡­Ch-change your daddy¡­?¡± That was the best expression I¡¯ve ever seen from him. I nodded in haste as I watched him being defeated by Rere. Sigh. That¡¯s why people like cider. Even a frustrating person like the Duke, who used to shove sweet potatoes down people¡¯s throats every time he showed up, was beaten hard by Rere. ¡°Yeah! I quit because daddy has come to his senses, but I originally wanted to change my daddy. I wanted to change it to Luca!¡± ¡°¡­Do you want to change your daddy to Luca?!¡± ¡°Yup! You look similar anyways! Plus, Luca is really kind towards Big bunny. I think Big bunny has feelings for Luca.¡± At that moment, both Rere and the Duke¡¯s gaze swiveled to me. Rere had been acting all serious in front of the Duke, but she quickly pouted when she saw me. ¡°Am I right, Big bunny?¡± ¡°Do you¡­like Luca?¡± ¡°Well. Why can¡¯t I?¡± I doubted it, but the Duke¡¯s face slightly hardened at my words. How ridiculous. Why is he making that face? People would think he was dumped by his crush. ¡°I told you so. That¡¯s why you should be nice to Big bunny. Just like Rere!¡± ¡°¡­Not like Luca, but like Rere?¡± ¡°Yup! I¡¯ve been doing a great job of being nice to Big bunny. Feeding her tasty food, praising her, and patting her cheeks! I¡¯m also sleeping next to her in case she gets a bad dream! That¡¯s why you have to work hard, daddy. Or else Big bunny will run away.¡± I wonder if Rere knew. The face of the man who held her was puckered like crap. Perhaps because he felt my gaze, he hurriedly averted his eyes and tried to change the subject. ¡°Ahem. Anyway, this place that Rere has always wanted to come to has nothing special about it except that there are many roses.¡± ¡°Then why would you forbid me from coming to this not-so-special place?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to tell you now. This place is Rere¡¯s birth mother¡¯s favorite place.¡± ¡°Why is daddy only talking about my mother that isn¡¯t here anymore? Daddy is weird.¡± Rere winced as if she didn¡¯t want to hear it. ¡°Get me off.¡± ¡°Rere.¡± Just like his old habit, the Duke held the child tighter in his arms. I grabbed his hand and shook my head. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want it. She¡¯s not ready to accept it yet, so do you really need to tell her now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Then wait until Rere is ready to accept the truth.¡± In the past, he would turn a deaf ear to my words. But the Duke only mumbled and lowered the child to the floor. ¡°Rere. This is what I want to tell you. You¡¯re more precious than anything in the world. Your mother was always happy to wait for you here.¡± ¡°¡­But she died early. Without saying anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°If she truly loved me, then why didn¡¯t she give me a name? If she truly waited for me, why didn¡¯t she leave a single letter?¡± ¡°Because-¡± But Rere already ran into my arms and hugged me before the Duke could say anything. ¡°The present is more important. My current mom is more important. That¡¯s why¡­stop talking about it or I¡¯ll be angry!¡± Despite being more mature than kids her age, Rere was still 5-years-old inherently. She was at the age where she hated her mother for being absent rather than understanding her death. So I embraced Rere warmly. ¡°Rere, why don¡¯t you show me around?¡± ¡°If Big bunny wants it, I should do it. Tch..how annoying. I have to do everything. Then let¡¯s go over there. Big bunny has never been on a swing, right?¡± Rere regained her confidence and pointed toward the swing. ¡°Get me off here. Big bunny should sit down, too.¡± It seems like they added a soft cushion to the wooden structure. Meanwhile, Rere swung her feet back and forth excitedly. A smile spread over Rere¡¯s face once the swing moved. ¡°Feels good, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I want to stay like this and take a nap.¡± ¡°Just sleep. Lie down here, and I¡¯ll pat you on the back.¡± Rere pushed me back slightly and patted my chest gently. ¡°There, there. Our Big bunny sleeps well. You need to sleep well to grow big. Hush, hush, Big bunny. Bunny, bunny. Big bunny.¡± ¡°What lullaby is that?¡± ¡°Rere¡¯s lullaby. By the way, Big bunny. Do you want me to tell you a secret?¡± ¡°Secret?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s actually my first time sitting on a swing. Daddy scolded me last time. That¡¯s why I looked forward to it. It¡¯s as good as I expected¡­but I feel nauseous sitting here. I want to stop.¡± The stiff-faced Rere eventually jumped down. This time, she approached the slide. The little girl¡¯s chirpy laughter spread throughout the garden. ¡°Big bunny and daddy come here, too. The slide is really fun!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll catch up with you soon. Rere, are you enjoying it?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± The Duke, who had been watching us the whole time, approached us. ¡°She seems to be enjoying it¡­¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you allow Rere to come here?¡± ¡°¡­Actually, Rere¡¯s mother was terrified of having children. But when she gave birth, she really loved the child. She made this place to show how much she loved the child.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re not going to tell her about the first part, are you?¡± He intently looked at me as if wondering why am I asking the obvious. ¡°There¡¯s no good in saying that.¡± ¡°True. But you can¡¯t hide it forever. If you don¡¯t tell her that, you¡¯ll keep telling other lies about Rere¡¯s mother.¡± I straightened my body and continued. ¡°Hiding it is not always a good thing.¡± The child would eventually be curious about her roots. Just like me, who is a child born of a single mother. I wanted to find out about my birth mother. When I couldn¡¯t find anything, I was terribly disappointed and deluged in my own thoughts. I thought my mother had abandoned me for sure. I was in despair and struggled for a while. ¡°At least for Rere¡­¡± I hope the child won¡¯t suffer the same pain as me. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to say it right now. I¡¯m asking you to tell Rere when she¡¯s healthy and all grown up.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just say it. Think about it well. Geez, so unattractive.¡± ¡°¡­Am I that unattractive?¡± ¡°What are you two doing? Until when will you let me play the slide alone!¡± Before I knew it, Rere spread my fingers one by one and put a light purple rose on top of it. ¡°Take this. It suits Big bunny.¡± ¡°Is it a gift?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. We¡¯re not that close enough to give each other a gift, to begin with. Stop with the nonsense and let¡¯s go play on the slide. Daddy and Big bunny!¡± The Duke and I glanced at each other and approached the slide. The slide was pretty wide as it was originally made for adults as well. It was fun overall. Of course, the boring guy, Duke Ian, had distanced himself from us in the midst of this. ¡°What a boring man.¡± ¡°¡­Boring, you say?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I honestly think.¡± Rere, who followed me by sliding down, raised her fingers and waved it. ¡°Ahem. Anyway, there¡¯s something I haven¡¯t said earlier.¡± ¡°Big bunny, I¡¯m sure daddy will say something weird again.¡± ¡°What do you mean? I have an announcement to make. I¡¯ll officially take Leona as Duchess Petri.¡± ¡°Wha- Are you sure you want to take me as your wife?¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t going to reject it when you said it so confidently the other day, are you? You¡¯re pretty cool when you say it in front of the insect-like Duke Arvida.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 45 Chapter 45 ¡°Did you fall in love with Big bunny because she¡¯s cool?¡± ¡®That¡¯s right.¡± ¡­His unexpected answer made my body flinch. He would normally contradict it, so I couldn¡¯t believe it when he actually said yes. How attractive is that beautifully arched smile? Objectively speaking, Ian was quite good-looking. Handsome looks that no one could refute at one glance. That made me hate him even more. Nothing was going on between us, and after what he had done to me, he shamelessly said such a cheesy thing? I clicked my tongue disgruntledly. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to make you fall for me.¡± After all, what you had done to me in the past, I have no intention of forgiving you. ¡°Say, say. Daddy, are you going to announce our Big bunny as my mom?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yippie! Then let¡¯s hold a party! Party! A party for our Big bunny!¡± ¡°Rere, do you like parties?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve never had a party before! So do you!¡± Rere bounced back and forth eagerly. ¡°More spectacular than ever!¡± ¡°Rere, didn¡¯t you hate parties?¡± Rather, the Duke was surprised. His eyes turned round as if he had heard something unbelievable. ¡°Yeah, I hated parties and tea parties, but it¡¯ll be different when I¡¯m with Big bunny. I¡¯m going to say it. I have a mom, too! Don¡¯t look down on me!¡± So that¡¯s how it was. Why she couldn¡¯t invite anyone all this time. When I saw such a Rere, I felt a lump in my chest. But Rere was unaware of my feelings and kept bouncing around excitedly. ¡°I¡¯m going to take down a peg or two! I¡¯m going to kick their asses. Especially the girls who came last time. Ah, let¡¯s invite that poppy head, too.¡± Rere was more fired up than ever, determined to pay back what had been done to her tenfold. I hunched over and spread my arms to Rere. Like a cicada on an old tree, Rere quickly rushed and clung to me. A warm scent, like the smell of the spring sun, exuded from the child¡¯s body. ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s invite Astra. Let¡¯s invite all of them,¡± ¡°I want to wear a matching dress with my mom!¡± ¡°Are you going to call me mom now?¡± ¡°No. I said ¡®Oh my! Oh my!¡¯. Our Big bunny is still as foolish as ever.¡± The beaming child stepped back and grabbed both my hand and the Duke¡¯s hand. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be doing this here. We need to prepare our clothes right away. I have to get back at poopy head for harassing our Big bunny! Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Since then, Rere had been busy chattering about all sorts of things on the way to her room, among of which were dresses, shoes, and accessories. Fortunately, her face looked happier than ever. A few days later. I was patting the child who had trouble waking up as always. However, the rattling sound of carriages came through the closed window. I was extremely cautious because of the last incident, so I quietly looked out the window. ¡°Ah, it must be the carriages from the salon!¡± Rere woke up to the sound and jumped to the sofa by the window. ¡°Daddy must have prepared so fast this time! Let¡¯s go, Big bunny.¡± ¡°Huh? Those are for me?¡± At one glance, the fancy carriages came one after another. ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s go! Hurry!¡± Rere pulled my arm as I kept stuttering in shock. ¡°I get it, Rere. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡®Those things are mine?¡¯ I eventually went out with Rere after a long denial. Perhaps because the Duke also noticed the carriages, he came to our room. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Daddy! You¡¯re also coming to get Big bunny¡¯s clothes, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. I chose one of the most famous salons in the Imperial capital.¡± ¡°Oho, daddy finally has some common sense?¡± ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t me though.¡± The Duke¡¯s gaze turned to his back for a moment. There stood Luca, smiling as always. He smiled so brightly that it was blinding. ¡°Just because Luca chose famous and fancy salons doesn¡¯t guarantee that Leona will like it. She usually likes comfortable styles that are easy to wear, so go pick another place that makes comfortable and practical clothes. That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. What do you think, Leona?¡± Please say that I¡¯m right. That¡¯s how you usually are. I couldn¡¯t have been wrong. I hadn¡¯t said a word, but his inner thoughts were crystal clear. ¡°I honestly think Luca is taking care of me properly. Because If I go to the party with Rere, I would much prefer to wear a fancy outfit, wouldn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Seems like I¡¯ve won. Luca.¡± ¡°Congratulations. Your Grace.¡± Unlike Luca, who smiled as if nothing mattered, the Duke seemed to be pleased. ¡°Daddy, are you an idiot?¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°In the end, she¡¯ll pick out many clothes among Luca¡¯s selection, while she¡¯ll only pick one among daddy¡¯s selection.¡± ¡°¡­But that one clothing is important.¡± ¡°How frustrating. How can you be this foolish when you are supposed to be smart? Listen carefully to our Big bunny. Stop doing things as you please! I hate people who don¡¯t listen to others the most!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You need to listen to others. You¡¯ve been listening to Rere lately¡­but you¡¯re still the same as you were at the start.¡± He changed a little, but I¡¯m sure he would be arrogant if I gave him a compliment. So I reacted more sharply. When the Duke tried to refute, a servant suddenly ran hastily toward us. ¡°Your Grace.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­Duke Arvida and Princess Astra¡­¡± The other side of the hall became noisy before the servant properly reported the situation. ¡°Duke Petri!¡± Today as well, Duke Arvida hasn¡¯t given up yet and is making another fuss. Another boring man. I thought he might not come again after being humiliated last time, but humiliation didn¡¯t seem to work against Duke Arvida. ¡°Duke!¡± ¡°Here comes a noisy guest. Looks like he came in with the salon carriages.¡± ¡°Daddy. Why is he here again?¡± ¡°He must¡¯ve come to entertain us.¡± ¡°Oh, gosh. Why is he here already? The shoes with thorns on their soles that I asked for earlier are not finished yet.¡± ¡°Th-thorns?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going to step on them all.¡± Rere showed me an example by stomping on the floor. ¡°Who told you to make that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s daddy!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The gullible Rebecca and scatter-brained duke. It had always been that way, and will continue to be in the future. Even in the past, he would¡¯ve let the child do what she wanted without correcting her. What the hell is he thinking? And after Rere said those words, what expression will he make? So I looked up and saw ¡®Good job, my daughter!¡¯ written all over his face. It seemed like he was the irrevocable one instead of Rere. So, I held Rere even more tightly in my arms. ¡°Rere, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Duke!¡± But Duke Arvida already approached us with a furious look. ¡°What the hell is going on here? It seems like Duke Arvida doesn¡¯t know manners. You can¡¯t barge into someone¡¯s residence without being invited. Are you trying to wage a war between the families?¡± ¡°I have something to talk about with you, Duke Petri.¡± ¡°Huh, you?¡± Ian crossed his arms and looked down at Duke Arvida. Ian was taller, so Duke Arvida shrunk back like a prey in front of a predator. ¡°Father. Stop it! Why are we back here? We can take revenge elsewhere, so why here!¡± ¡°Shut up, Astra. First of all, Duke Petri, let¡¯s talk quietly.¡± ¡°There is no way it¡¯s going to be quiet. I should kick you out before you make another fuss. Today is the day the salon comes to my residence to fit my wife¡¯s clothes.¡± ¡°¡­Duke! It¡¯s very important!¡± ¡°My wife is what¡¯s important for me.¡± Ian and Luca naturally protected us. ¡°Let¡¯s go greet the guests.¡± ¡°Duke!! Just this once¡­ Please listen to me!¡± Duke Arvida, who normally tried to earn his way by screaming frantically, somehow had a much more meek attitude than before. ¡°I¡¯m not going to take too long.¡± ¡°What are you going to talk about? Leona, what do you think? Would you like to hear him out?¡± ¡°Yes!! Daddy, let¡¯s listen. I¡¯m curious.¡± As long as Rere wanted it, I would also want it. Furthermore, I¡¯m also curious as to why he changed in just a few days. Astra, who stood behind Duke Arvida, somehow couldn¡¯t release her pent-up anger. On top of that¡­ ¡®I wonder why Duke Ian can be so confident.¡¯ ¡°Go on. I think we should listen to them first.¡± ¡°Since Leona gave her permission, let¡¯s hear him out. Be quiet and follow me.¡± Ian turned around, speaking more firmly than before. Just like ducks following their mother, Duke Ian took the lead followed by us all. Luca was following closely as if to protect us. Meanwhile, Duke Arvida and Astra trudged behind. Of course, they didn¡¯t follow us quietly. Astra was still busy throwing tantrums like a madman. ¡°Why should I? Why should I be treated like this!¡± ¡°Shut up. You¡¯re mistaken if you think you¡¯re the only one I have. If anything, I could just adopt the child of my relatives.¡± ¡°Fa-father¡­¡± In the meantime, we arrived at the drawing-room where we talked last time. We sat in the same seats, so I naturally felt a sense of deja vu. If anything was different, it was Duke Arvida. He kneeled down. ¡°Please return it!¡± Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Everyone except the Duke was speechless. What¡¯s wrong with him? He even fell flat on the ground. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­I beg your forgiveness for what my daughter did wrong. So return my account, please.¡± ¡°Account? What are you talking about?¡± Ian relaxedly reclined to the sofa with crossed legs. A sadistic smile graced his face. ¡°Please stop pretending you don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°I told you I don¡¯t know, didn¡¯t I? Account? I don¡¯t have that sort of thing. Why don¡¯t you just explain it to me in detail? Who knows, it might come to my mind if you do. Right, Luca?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll let you know if I remember.¡± Luca¡¯s smiling face looked strangely similar to the Duke. A face that looked down at Duke Arvida and Astra with murderous intent. I wonder why this side of him feels unfamiliar? ¡°¡­Are you messing with me now?¡± However, Duke Ian only responded in an irrelevant manner. ¡°The people of the Duke of Arvida are very kind.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°They welcomed me even though it hadn¡¯t been officially announced yet. They¡¯re very glad to see me. I even thought I was in the Petri residence for a moment.¡± I guess it was something that Rere and I didn¡¯t know. In the meantime, Luca brought a small basket from one side of the drawing room and placed it in front of us as if he thought the show would go on for a little longer today. ¡°In some countries, people nibble on something while they watch a fun spectacle. So please have fun watching and eat some of these.¡± What he put in front of us were star candies in various colors. White, pink, sky blue, etc. Rere admired the beautifully assorted candies and picked up a handful of them. ¡°Big bunny, say aah.¡± With her mouth wide open, Rere turned back and stuffed three star candies into my mouth. ¡°Rere, eat some, too.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°What about daddy?¡± ¡°¡­But daddy has hands.¡± ¡°Leona also has hands.¡± ¡°Tch, that¡¯s true. Just this once, okay?¡± Then Rere put one of the smallest pieces of a broken star candy into Duke Ian¡¯s mouth. ¡®I have no choice but to give you one since you want it¡¯. I felt like I could read Rere¡¯s inner monologue. This made the Duke smile in satisfaction. ¡°Duke, just now¡­were you even listening to me?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re still here? I thought you left because it was so quiet.¡± At that time, Duke Arvida, who had been looking at us for a long time, soon pulled Astra, who stood behind him, forward. Thereafter, he grabbed his daughter by the back of her head and strongly pushed her down to the floor. ¡°Kyaaak!¡± ¡°Come on, apologize. Come on. Do it!¡± ¡°Father!¡± Despite Astra¡¯s struggle, the Duke did not let go of his daughter. ¡°This is all my daughter¡¯s fault¡­.. Please accept our apology and return what you took.¡± ¡°Well, you should tell me clearly what I took for me to return it. And Princess Astra should apologize to Rere and my wife instead of me. That apology honestly doesn¡¯t impress me.¡± Shrugging his shoulders, he picked up a handful of star candies in front of him. Thanks to him, the star candies that have been beautifully assorted were ruined. Rere huffed at the Duke, but he continued to munch on the star candies leisurely. As if trying to get close to a kid by playing tricks. ¡°Duke. Duke Ian Petri!¡± ¡°I can hear you well enough even if you don¡¯t scream that loud. Listen here, Duke Arvida. There were so many things I took from you. Do you think I will understand if you speak that way?¡± ¡°¡­Things you stole!¡± ¡°There¡¯s so much I¡¯ve stolen. Which one is it? ¡®The tears of the sea necklace¡¯ that the first emperor seeks for his lover, or ¡®The Tiara of the Sun¡¯ that the head of the merchants made for his beloved daughter?¡± ¡°Did you steal those, too?¡± ¡°Goodness, is that not it? I wonder what else is there.¡± That¡¯s called stealing. But Ian didn¡¯t seem to feel guilty at all. Rere even nodded at such a father. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you steal it, daddy?¡± ¡°Should I have done that?¡± ¡°D-duke! Are you saying you stole all of my family¡¯s valuables? ¡°Seeing that you asked me if I stole it, it must be the truth then. Duke Arvida. All of those are branded as stolen goods, and their descendants are anxiously looking for them. I never would¡¯ve thought they would be in Duke Arvida¡¯s hand!¡± At that moment, Duke Arvida¡¯s body hardened. ¡°I-It¡¯s not that I have it. Uh, so¡­I just assumed that those goods existed¡­¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re backing out. How unfortunate for you, Duke Arvida. It¡¯s true that I don¡¯t have the goods. I just sent it to the Emperor.¡± ¡°Are you serious!! Duke! Acting just like a thief¡­. What do you think you¡¯re doing to other people¡¯s belongings!¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed not mine, but it isn¡¯t yours either. So you don¡¯t need to be so angry.¡± Rere, who sat comfortably in my arms, chewed on a star candy and yawned as if she was bored. Seeing that she kept looking at her feet, she must be sad because she couldn¡¯t use her thorny shoes. ¡°Haa¡­¡± ¡°So, did you find what you were looking for? My daughter is bored, so you¡¯d better get out of here.¡± ¡°Not yet¡­! My account! Give it to me!¡± ¡°By the way, Duke Arvida and Princess Astra truly look like a father and daughter in situations like this. The way you both don¡¯t understand what people mean when they talk, to be exact.¡± This much disrespect should¡¯ve been enough to make him back out, but it seemed like the ¡®account¡¯ was important to Duke Arvida. To the point that Duke Arvida still pushed Astra¡¯s head on the floor. ¡°Father¡­! Let me go now. Please!¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t care what you do to my daughter. You can hit her until you¡¯re satisfied, so please return everything.¡± ¡°Goodness. Do you think I¡¯m such a trashy guy who hits women? Unfortunately, I¡¯m not a violent person like you.¡± What about the last time you threw a money bag at me? Did you not think it was dangerous? What a bastard. ¡°Give it to me! It¡¯s a record of my important trades! It has a list of the people I¡¯ve bribed and how much I paid for them in order. So give me the account!¡± ¡°Oho, you¡¯ve finally said what it is.¡± ¡°..Yes¡­ that¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°What a shame. It¡¯s not in my hands either. You¡¯ve done so many things that I gave it to the Emperor as a gift.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± The eyes of the man, who had been sitting calmly and eating star candies, quickly changed. Then he rose from his seat and slowly approached Duke Arvida. ¡°That¡¯s why you should know what you can eat and what you cannot eat. If the Duke eats everything, you¡¯ll get sick. Did you think I didn¡¯t know of the things you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I know your hidden intentions, and how you¡¯ve been digging into my family¡¯s weaknesses, thinking that I¡¯m just a young duke.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°And that you were going to make your daughter my wife for it. How greedy. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re trying to devour my family with that stupid head of yours.¡± It was the most tenacious voice he ever had. ¡°Unfortunately, it was very easy to find out Duke Arvida¡¯s secret. Like an idiot, you accepted my offer to marry off Princess Astra to me without hesitation. It was so easy that it was almost no fun.¡± ¡°No way¡­that is nonsense¡­¡± ¡°Why would I make up such nonsense? Wasn¡¯t it you who spread rumors about my daughter¡¯s birth? The instant Astra came into this family.¡± Rere chewed more of the star candies when the topic of her birth was brought up. With her temper, she would have rushed to them and made a fuss, but she just watched them with a frown. ¡°Big bunny, stay here. I have something to do.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Whatever happens, stay still. This Rebecca Petri won¡¯t let them slide.¡± After saying that, Rere looked at the door. There stood the nanny, holding a strange bucket. But the other maid¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look very good. Then, Duke Ian spoke again. ¡°Perhaps you were going to make Princess Astra give birth to this family¡¯s heir? That¡¯s why you¡¯re making weird rumors about my daughter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no bigger fool than you. Your scheme is so obvious that it¡¯s boring. Get lost now.¡± ¡°¡­Really¡­Did you really give my account to the Emperor?!¡± ¡°Yes. I asked him to hide the fact that he had received the account until Duke Arvida came to me himself.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± Like a madman, Duke Arvida began to laugh. ¡°Damn it¡­damn it!¡± ¡°You¡¯re too greedy. Your stomach is going to burst just as much as you¡¯ve been greedy.¡± ¡°¡­Damn it¡­damn it¡­!¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry. Your family will survive.¡± Duke Arvida shook Astra like crazy with his hands. ¡°All because of this wench¡­this wench!¡± Rere, who watched the situation, suddenly jumped up from her seat and ran towards the nanny. I tried to chase the child, but as soon as Rere accepted the bucket from the nanny, she returned inside. She climbed the sofa and poured it on Duke Arvida and Princess Astra. ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°H-huh!¡± ¡°You assholes! I still remember you slapped my mom. Next time, I¡¯ll have your entire body covered in poop!¡± Not long after, I could tell what Rere had brought as a means of revenge. It was dung water. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 47 Chapter 47 ¡°Kyaak!¡± ¡°Ugh..uh¡­¡± ¡°What the hell is this¡­. P-Poop water¡­? The smell¡­urk¡­.. It went in my mouth!¡± Astra burst into shock and ended up gulping it down. As Duke Arvida watched the scene unfold, he hurriedly shut his mouth. This sudden situation made all of us harden. Not long after, however, the smell filled the room as if trying to make itself known. ¡°Ugh¡­mpfh¡­ What is this!¡± Astra was busy wiping her mouth and trying to spit out the poop water in her mouth. ¡°What the hell is this!¡± Astra, who takes pride in her noble status, fell into anguish. Rere always called her ¡®poop¡¯, but this time, she really turned Astra into one. ¡°I¡¯m annoyed, so annoy¡­.blergh!¡± Duke Arvida, who still valued his life, hurriedly lowered his head to protect himself from the poop water entering his mouth. Duke Ian and Luca cleared their throats and looked away from the unpleasant sight. Of course, I did the same. Rere tossed the bucket on the floor and ran to me cheerfully, but the smell of poop lingered on the child¡¯s body. ¡°Rere, what is that¡­umph¡­¡± ¡°Why, rabbit? Do I smell?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Rere hurriedly sniffed her arms to check if I lied. She then wrinkled her nose like a baby rabbit. ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s really bad. Where the hell did you throw yourself into? Let me wipe it.¡± I hurriedly took out a handkerchief to wipe Rere¡¯s hands, which I believed was the source of the smell. ¡°Hee-hee. But it¡¯s so refreshing.¡± Feeling excited, Rere rubbed her nose. ¡°Such a bad smell!¡± The smell made her even more excited that she began to jump around. ¡°Rere, that¡¯s why I told you to wipe your hands first.¡± ¡°Uh¡­uh..it smells so bad!¡± ¡°Not as bad as them though¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The child burst into a smile. Our eyes reached Astra and Duke Arvida simultaneously. Those two were still having a difficult time processing and handling their current situation. ¡®The smell is worse over there.¡¯ But no one could talk or get close to them. They struggled like a mouse in a trap. The foul scent got nastier each time they moved. What the hell is that? It smells so bad¡­ ¡°Rere¡­what the hell did you bring?¡± Tee-hee. The giggling child put her hand on mine. ¡°Wipe it off.¡± ¡°But no matter how much I wipe it, if they don¡¯t leave¡­¡± Only then did Astra tremble violently, perhaps returning to her senses. At that moment, Luca embraced us and took us toward the window even though Duke Ian was much closer to Astra. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. His grace would do the same if he was close.¡± His smiling eyes turned to Ian. Just like he said, Ian stood in the spot where Rere and I stood earlier. As a result, his body got sprinkled with the poop water from Astra¡¯s body. Was it because of that? Or was he angry because Luca took the initiative first? Duke Ian¡¯s face was brutally crumpled. Emotions disappeared again on the face that once contained compassion. ¡°Because of trash like you, this nasty smell is now stuck on my clothes.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh¡­uh..¡± ¡°How dare you splash poop water on me.¡± Having realized that it was futile to wipe off the dripping poop water, Duke Arvida stayed still, unlike Astra, who was wiping off the poop water on her body frantically. Duke Arvida barely raised his head after confirming that it was all right for him to move. ¡°Who is supposed to be angry here?! Who?!¡± The angry Duke Arvida wiped his face with a clean handkerchief. ¡°J-Just now, what have you done to me!¡± Duke Arvida belatedly shouted due to the ridiculous situation and scowled at us with a face filled with disbelief. However, Rere wouldn¡¯t be herself if she were to back down now. ¡°Why are you asking! I fed you poop since you¡¯re also one. Hihi.¡± ¡°Fucking bitch! I¡¯ll teach you a lesson! How dare a beggar like you! How dare you pretend to be a princess and do this to me!¡± Duke Arvida screamed as if he wanted to hit the child. ¡°How dare you say that to my daughter!¡± Seeing him blurt out harsh things with ease to a mere five-year-old made me furious. I quickly held the child in my arms. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk spitefully to my daughter! Unless you¡¯re crazy!¡± For my child, for Rere, I stood tall in front of him. Meanwhile, Duke Arvida glared at me with a displeased look. ¡°Heh? This wench seems to be mistaken that she¡¯s the real duchess!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not mistaken, it¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°Ho-ho. It¡¯s the truth, you say? You¡¯re not even an aristocrat, yet you¡¯re talking down to this great Arvida! You¡¯ve got quite the nerve, huh?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do that. Ah, it¡¯s because you suddenly dropped the honorifics. For that reason, I thought you wanted to talk to us casually. Duke Arvida. I¡¯m a duchess now, so I don¡¯t think you can speak that way to me either.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°In any case, I¡¯m sincerely giving you advice. If you keep doing this, you and your daughter might get poisoned by the poop water and die.¡± ¡°What?¡± I grinned and stroked Rere¡¯s head. ¡°This poop water is a lot more poisonous than I expected. I don¡¯t know what kind of poison my cute daughter brought, but you might die if we leave you alone.¡± I frowned at him, pretending to be benevolent and kind. So get out of here. I don¡¯t want to see people die in front of me. ¡°You¡­.you damn bitch¡­!¡± Duke Ian, who was watching me stand tall before Duke Arvida, stepped up as if he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°Knights, get those things out of my sight immediately.¡± ¡°Kyaaaa! I can¡¯t see¡­ My eyes hurt! Ump¡­.. What the hell is this¡­! Father, father!¡± Meanwhile, Astra was slowly moving toward Duke Arvida. ¡°Go away! Go away!¡± Duke Arvida, who was in a slightly better condition, tried to shove his daughter, but he ended up tripping and fell to the ground. ¡°Eugh..ugh..!¡± Astra, who couldn¡¯t see what¡¯s ahead of her, walked in the direction where Duke Arvida¡¯s voice was coming from. ¡°Father, father! Help me. My eyes hurt¡­my stomach¡­¡± Astra couldn¡¯t see his father lying on the floor, so she eventually tripped over her father. ¡°Kyaagh!¡± ¡°Great. The trash is piled in one place. Now that the carpet is dirty, roll it up and put it in their family¡¯s carriage.¡± ¡°Yes, sir! Urk-!¡± ¡°Ugh, smelly.¡± ¡°Le-let¡¯s clean it up.¡± The knights held their breath and began to clean up the carpet. ¡°D-duke!¡± ¡°Father!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of you. When I get back, I will deal with you right away!¡± The two were busy exchanging words of affection with each other. Meanwhile, the knights also covered their noses as they dealt with the two, perhaps because they also find the smell terrible, and quickly dragged them out. Only then were we able to breathe. ¡°Phew¡­¡± The servants and maids who came inside were busy opening the window. Thereafter, we were able to breathe deeply. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go see the dress.¡± Before I knew it, Duke Ian was already in front of us and held out his hand to Rere. ¡°Should we go now?¡± He smiled. But when he held Rere in his arms without much thought, his expression quickly turned sour. ¡°Oh. Rere. You should wash up first.¡± ¡°¡­Rere is not smelly anymore! Ugh, it¡¯s really smelly! Big Bunny already wiped it for me, but it still smells so bad!¡± Rere quivered at the terrible smell coming from her body and pinched her nose. ¡°Rere. Let¡¯s wash up with mom. I think mom smells, too.¡± Just as I thought, I smelled terrible since I had been hugging Rere the whole time. ¡°I¡¯ll have to wash up as well. I think the smell has permeated.¡± If his daughter poured poop water on someone, he should have said something about it, but he was busy caring about his hygiene. Eventually, I had to return to the room with Rere in my arms. The nanny, who waited for us with a restless expression, quickly prepared the bath. ¡°What the hell was that, nanny?¡± ¡°Rere will explain! Big bunny is so nice that she is clueless about revenge. She¡¯s very soft-hearted, so I tried to rack my brain this time for a better method because I was afraid Big Bunny would collapse if I did something else to those assholes.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Yeah! I told the nanny to prepare poop water just in case! Hehe. Rere did well, right?¡± What else could I say to a brightly smiling child? ¡°Did you hate those people so much?¡± ¡°Yeah! I got so angry when I thought about them slapping my Big bunny last time.¡± I thought it was because of what they did to her, but the child was looking up at me. Snot was running from her tiny nostrils. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of what they have done to Rere?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve had a lot of that happen to me¡­ The previous nanny hit me a lot. The previous moms I had also said a lot of things about me. But Big bunny is different! They shouldn¡¯t treat her like that!¡± I felt so stupid. I couldn¡¯t believe she did it for my sake. The child who had a bigger wound than I did smiled radiantly like it was nothing. ¡°I¡¯m really okay!¡± ¡®It¡¯s not okay. How could anyone be cruel enough to hurt this small child?¡¯ I embraced the child in my arms. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Mom will protect you from now on. Mom can be really mean, you know?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. So from now on, I won¡¯t hesitate to pour poop water if anyone ever bothers our Rere.¡± ¡°Great. I think Big Bunny has finally come to her senses, so I should spoil her.¡± Rere lifted her tiny feet and kissed my cheek. ¡°Did you just¡­kiss me?¡± ¡°Yup! So Big Bunny, my mom, will you protect me from now on?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Once the child, who firmly closed her heart, opened her heart once more, it became even broader. I hugged Rere tighter and kissed the child¡¯s forehead. ¡°Thank you, Rere.¡± ¡°What are you thanking me for?! Rere¡¯s kiss is very expensive, you know? I especially gave it to you.¡± ¡°Of course~¡± As Rere laughed so brightly that her eyes couldn¡¯t be seen, she stretched her hands vigorously into the sky. ¡°Then, from now on, I¡¯ll be telling you my methods! To be exact, one hundred ways to bully the bullies!¡± ¡°Does something like that exist?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± As expected from the child who grew up to be a villainess. Rere clenched her fist casually. ¡°Rere is proud. I think our Big Bunny has finally come to her senses. You should not always be nice in life!¡± ¡°How about you save your ¡®100 ways to bully the bullies¡¯ for later and choose a dress first? You said you¡¯re going to wear matching clothes, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! The nanny has finally said something smart after a long time. Ahem. Then we should let our Big bunny wash up. I¡¯m so busy.¡± When Rere said she was busy even though she stayed still while being washed by the nanny, the nanny and I laughed at the same time. ¡°Yes. Our busy lady should wash up and get out quickly!¡± The nanny moved her hands faster than ever, which is why Rere was able to wash up faster than me. Of course, the maid also offered to help me bathe. But I, who had lived as a Korean, couldn¡¯t get used to being washed by others. It was not only my hair, but also my whole body. ¡®My precious armpit¡­¡¯ I couldn¡¯t leave my armpit and the other parts of my body to someone else. At that time, Rere, who went out first, knocked at the bathroom door. ¡°Big Bunny. Big Bunny. Are you alive?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Come out. You were so quiet that I thought you were drowning. If you don¡¯t come out, do you want me to go in and wash you up instead?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come out soon!¡± ¡°You¡¯re really slow.¡± Eventually, I had to abruptly finish and come out at Rere¡¯s urging. When I came out, Rere was already all dressed up, so she gave a towel to the maids with a dissatisfied look. ¡°Help Big Bunny dry her hair.¡± ¡°Yes, miss!¡± The maids, who saw my long hair, rolled up their sleeves as if they¡¯re going to war. ¡°Leave it to us.¡± ¡°Nanny. Let¡¯s go pick a dress for Big Bunny in the Duchess¡¯ room. There are no suitable clothes in her closet no matter how much we look¡­ Hmm¡­.. And, Big bunny¡¯s dress right now isn¡¯t suitable either.¡± Rere had her short, plump finger pointing up and moved it from side to side. ¡°Clothes¡­?¡± ¡°Well, Big Bunny looks elegant and pretty no matter what, but I don¡¯t want any flaws¡­! Dry her hair and put powder on her face.¡± ¡°Yes, miss!¡± Since when did you work in sync like this? The maid who put the chair in front of me quickly dried my hair. Meanwhile, Rere grabbed her nanny¡¯s hand and stormed out. ¡°I¡¯m really fine¡­¡± ¡°You know our miss¡¯ personality, right? We¡¯ll get in trouble if we don¡¯t dry your hair.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­.?¡± In the end, I gave up and left my hair in their care. The way they handle my hair felt like a professional¡¯s work. ¡°Are you not tired? Because my hair is long.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easier than our miss¡¯.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Lately, our miss has changed, but back then, she refused to wash up. She threw tantrums a lot.¡± ¡°Every time no one could handle it anymore, we told our master. But he didn¡¯t care, so we had quite a hard time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. He acts strange sometimes.¡± The hands of the maids, who were talking to each other, slowed down. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not acting that strange lately, but¡­sometimes¡­¡± As if pondering about it, a maid stopped her hand at once. ¡°He acts like a child.¡± ¡°A child?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure he did a lot for our miss, but¡­he looks like someone who is out of his mind. There were times when he just had a blank expression on his face when our miss cried in front of him. There was even a time when she fell down in front of him, yet he just looked at her. At that time, I really thought he had a problem¡­¡± ¡°Rose. Saying he¡¯s out of his mind is a bit¡­¡± ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m sorry, madam.¡± It was not until the maid next to me stopped her that a maid named Rose rushed to me and bowed her head. ¡°Ah. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not like you swore at him.¡± ¡°But, still¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t like the Duke as well.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± Am I being too honest? ¡°¡­Well, a lot of things happened, right?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s right! Anyway¡­.I¡¯ve gone too far with my words, but that¡¯s what happened in the past. It rarely happened once madam arrived.¡± How is that possible? It was surprising that the man, who was supposed to be a fool for his daughter, had done such things in the past. Even in the novel, I didn¡¯t think the duke would be the type to do that. ¡®What is this feeling? It¡¯s as if I couldn¡¯t finish my business in the bathroom properly.¡¯ At that moment. ¡°Hosh, hosh. Big Bunny. I¡­brought your clothes.¡± They ran so hard to the point they sweated a lot when they opened the door. ¡°My god, Rere. Did you run?¡± ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t wait to dress you up.¡± Rere, who smiled ever so brightly, held out the shoes that she brought to me. ¡°I¡¯ve brought Big Bunny shoes that would match well with mine!¡± ¡°Really?¡± The beige-toned shoes sparkled like a star. It caught my eyes without me realizing it. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty.¡± ¡°Yup! It¡¯s very comfortable! And here¡¯s the clothes!¡± The nanny was gasping for air and wiped her sweat with her sleeve. Then, she held out the dress to me. There seemed to be something different about it from the dress I wore last time. ¡°This?¡± ¡°Try it on.¡± However, I couldn¡¯t tell what was different just by looking at it. ¡°Come on in, madam.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± After washing up, I had to go to the dressing room to get dressed in only a thin shower gown. And it wasn¡¯t until I wore it that I knew what made it different. The difference was in the middle part of what I usually wear and what I wore in Astra¡¯s room last time. First, there was no corset tightened firmly in my waist. However, just because it was comfortable, it wasn¡¯t as comfortable as the daily clothes I wore. The fabric on my waist was quite tight. I didn¡¯t know what it was made of since I didn¡¯t know much about clothes, but it was secured in my waist. It replaced the corset, and the flamboyant hem skirt was enough to divert the attention from the loose-fitting waist. ¡°It¡¯s comfortable.¡± ¡°Right? I¡¯m glad I followed Sir Luca¡¯s advice.¡± ¡°Did Luca¡­pick this?¡± ¡°Yes. He showed up whenever I needed help. This time, he showed up and helped us choose your clothes and shoes. He said madam might be comfortable with this.¡± How did he know me so well? In fact, Astra¡¯s dress last time was pretty and fancy, but it was uncomfortable. Contrary to that, this one was comfortable. ¡°Luca¡­seems like a sweet person.¡± ¡°Right? I hope our master can resemble him on the inside, even if it¡¯s just a little bit¡­¡± ¡°I hope so, too.¡± ¡°I feel like I get them mixed up sometimes though.¡± The nanny smiled calmly and gave me the shoes. These shoes were so comfortable that I thought I wouldn¡¯t get blisters on my feet even if I wore them the whole month. ¡®What a relief.¡¯ Maybe it wasn¡¯t that woman¡¯s style, which is why she didn¡¯t touch these things at all. ¡°We should get going. Our little miss will yell at us if we spend more time chatting.¡± She took a step ahead and reached out to me. As expected, just before we left, Rere poked her head into the dressing room. ¡°I was going to ask when you¡¯d come out¡­ Big Bunny, you¡¯re all ready!¡± ¡°Do I look okay?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s perfect! It¡¯s so pretty!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. Daddy is going to ¡®poof¡¯ again, right?¡± ¡°Shall we?¡± Before I knew it, Rere held my hand and looked at me with gleaming eyes. ¡°Big Bunny¡¯s hair looks like a star. It¡¯s shiny.¡± ¡°Rere¡¯s hair looks like the night sky. I guess we¡¯re a match made in heaven, Rere. Rere is the night sky, Big Bunny is the star. What do you think?¡± ¡°Anyways!¡± Contrary to my expectations, however, Rere suddenly sulked. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°Anyways! Big Bunny talks so well now! The night sky and the stars. Those are pretty words!¡± ¡°So, do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes! But what¡¯s a match made in heaven?¡± ¡°Uh¡­well¡­It means two people who are perfect for each other?¡± ¡°Mmh¡­I see. I made up my mind. Rere will make Big Bunny perfect. Anyway, it is so troublesome.¡± Despite saying that, the smile did not leave Rere¡¯s face. ¡°Does that mean Rere is going to take care of mom until mom becomes perfect?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± In the meantime, we arrived in front of a room I had never been to before. It was already crowded with people and dresses. ¡°What room is this¡­¡± ¡°We use this room whenever we call a salon over. Come on in!¡± When Rere dragged me inside, I was once again shocked by the dresses inside the room. ¡°Woah¡­¡± The big room was filled with all kinds of dresses that it looked like a warehouse of a clearance sale. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Why is daddy here?¡± He looked so confident as if he had always been with us. ¡°Why? Because we are family.¡± ¡°We¡¯re only family in times like this. Be honest, you¡¯re here to see our Big Bunny, right?¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 I didn¡¯t even look forward to what he was going to say. Because it is highly likely that it would just be a repeat of his words last time. So when I looked at the Duke with a sour look, he opened his mouth as if he had finished his long agony. ¡°I have business here¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here because I have work I must do here.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. If daddy has work he must do, then get out.¡± Rere was stubborn. The child began to pull the duke who was sitting on the sofa. ¡°Rere?¡± ¡°A man who can¡¯t be honest is unattractive.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you keep blanking out like a fool, should I change my daddy? Huh?¡± ¡°¡­Can I be honest?¡± ¡°Yes! Be honest.¡± Pressured by Rere, the duke¡¯s eyes finally reached me. How burdensome. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Gosh. Luca, tell me. What do you think of Big Bunny?¡± ¡°She looks the same.¡± ¡°What? Luca¡¯s just like daddy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, too? Ms. Leona is always beautiful, so it doesn¡¯t matter what she wears.¡± At that moment, Rere lifted her thumb in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s how you do it! Luca, where did you learn such things?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just expressing how I truly feel.¡± I was surprised by Luca¡¯s words. He¡¯s totally a player. But how could they seem so similar and different at the same time? ¡°Luca.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t open your mouth for the time being.¡± Childish bastard. The duke looked at him with a serious look on his face. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Luca just smiled and nodded as if he found it amusing. ¡°Don¡¯t answer either.¡± ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re so childish. You act like you¡¯re younger than me.¡± ¡°Your daddy is always childish.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°And I know enough to say that. I just don¡¯t feel the need to do so.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Don¡¯t regret it if Big Bunny runs away later.¡± Rere, who puffed out her cheeks, led me to the sofa while stomping her feet. ¡°Sit here, Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Where will Rere sit?¡± ¡°Big Bunny¡¯s lap!¡± Naturally, Rere sat on my lap. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sit here?¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± The duke, who was occupying a spacious sofa enough for 4 people, crumpled his face like a sulky child and looked at the door. The closed door opened, and a woman with a flashy hairdo, enough to call it an artwork, and a woman with poop-colored hair, entered the room. ¡°I greet the sword of the Empire, Your Grace Duke of Petri. I¡¯m Madame Cecilia from Salon Adazelle.¡± ¡°I greet Your Grace Duke of Petri. I¡¯m Madame Rozzele of Rachel Salon.¡± The woman with flashy hair was Cecillia, and the woman whose hair resembled Astra was Rozzele. ¡°This way, both of you. Get my mom clothes befitting her.¡± ¡°Oh my god. It¡¯s an honor to meet Princess Astra here¡­ Ah, you¡¯re not Princess Astra. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Cecillia, who murmured to herself loudly, quickly bowed her head. ¡°Damn it¡­.how can you call that Astra woman my mom? She wasn¡¯t my mom!¡± ¡°Forgive me, princess. I¡¯m must¡¯ve gone senile. I heard you are preparing for a party at the moment. So, I brought you the newest dress designed by our salon.¡± On the other hand, Rozzele greeted us and brought in her designed dresses. Cecillia¡¯s dresses looked extremely luxurious. Those were the kind of clothing Astra fancied. The clothes Rozzele brought were probably of the same kind to those Luca had prepared. ¡°The Duchess is so beautiful and fair-skinned that you¡¯ll look splendid in anything.¡± But perhaps because of Cecillia¡¯s slip of tongue earlier, Rere reacted to her curtly. On the other hand, Rozzele¡¯s clothes that Rere wouldn¡¯t even spare a glance at leaned more toward the comfort of the user compared to its luxuriousness. As opposed to Rere, I was rather interested in them. ¡°The clothes look comfortable.¡± ¡°For your information, Her Grace is also wearing a dress from Rachel Salon. If you don¡¯t mind, may I bring other clothes I made that are of the same kind next time? You don¡¯t seem to fancy corsets or too many adornments.¡± At that time, the duke, who was watching us, shook his head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less if you brought several hundred clothes for my wife. Bring them all.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Grace. That being the case, I¡¯ll remove some of the clothes I brought and bring new ones that match Her Grace¡¯s taste.¡± When the duke nodded, she smiled happily at me. ¡°I don¡¯t need that much.¡± ¡°Until when will you wear other people¡¯s clothes?¡± ¡°Then, madam. Can you stand up for a moment so I could measure your size?¡± ¡°Oh, alright.¡± She took me towards the partition on one side of the room. The measurement ended quickly, perhaps because she was an expert. Rozzele, who was quiet and only spoke when necessary, chose a couple of the clothes she had brought and handed them over to the maids. The problem was on Cecillia¡¯s side. ¡°Pr-princess. These are the clothes that I treasure the most in my salon.¡± ¡°But why does each of them look bad?¡± ¡°What do you mean? That can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°Everything is bad. It¡¯s so mediocre and dull. Your clothes, I mean.¡± Rere, who had been rummaging through the design catalog, crossed her arms and pouted her mouth. ¡°Big Bunny, you don¡¯t like it, do you? We¡¯re supposed to wear matching clothes, but these clothes look like something that poopy head would wear.¡± ¡°If my daughter hates it so much, we should look for someone else. Many nobles line up to wear the dresses you design, so I was looking forward to it. But you¡¯re nothing much.¡± The duke¡¯s face became colder than before. ¡°You can¡¯t even satisfy my five-year-old daughter. Everything about your excellence seems to be a lie. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not actually skilled at designing dresses?¡± ¡°Ho-how could you say that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s true! They¡¯re all designs that I¡¯ve seen before!¡± Cecillia, who tried to sell her clothes to the little princess just a while ago, shook her head. Perhaps because she thought her reputation was at stake, she took a piece of paper out of her arms. ¡°This is¡­ This dress I made was particularly sought-after¡­ Even this¡­¡± But I shook my head at her words. ¡°I don¡¯t want a dress that is particularly sought after. I want a dress made just for us.¡± Her eyes changed as if I provoked her desire to win. ¡°¡­I understand. Then, give me exactly three days. I¡¯ll design a dress just for the two of you.¡± She even clenched her fist as if to recover her confidence. ¡°That¡¯s great! But if you don¡¯t do it right this time, I won¡¯t let you go easily.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll prepare clothes that will surprise you.¡± Somehow, the fire in her eyes seemed to be burning. Eventually, she left with only a few sales, and after that, shoe-makers and jewellers came one after another. I knew that it was necessary to observe everything, but for me, who didn¡¯t really mind jewels and shoes that much, it was exhausting. It wasn¡¯t until dinner time that they all left, so I ended up falling asleep with Rere early in the evening. Of course, in a few hours, I woke up. No matter how tired I was, I could relive my fatigue because I slept right away. I feel refreshed even though I didn¡¯t sleep much. I thought of sleeping for a few more hours next to my child, but I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I headed to the terrace. Was it because I was overwhelmed by the clothes or was it because I was reminded of what the future holds? But at that time, ¡°You can¡¯t sleep?¡± I almost faltered due to an unexpected voice. ¡°Wh-why is Luca here¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nowhere I can¡¯t go here.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I came here because I have something to ask. Ms. Leona, do you still hate the duke? Do you hate him?¡± ¡°My heart remains the same.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Our eyes headed to the moon at the same time. The moonlight was warm and soft tonight. ¡°Don¡¯t hate him too much.¡± ¡°Why do you side with him so much?¡± ¡°Well, maybe because I feel sorry for him. Truthfully, that person¡­ His time stopped after that day.¡± ¡°After that day¡­?¡± ¡°He returned to his childhood days when he wasn¡¯t afraid of anything. That¡¯s why he did such things that were difficult for others to understand. Spouting nonsense and getting jealous without any reason. Sometimes, he¡¯s even more childish than Rere.¡± I was speechless for a moment because his words matched with what the maid said earlier. ¡°¡­You always talk about that person. Who the hell are you? Why are you telling me this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m someone who likes you.¡± His hand touched my cheek slightly. I even felt a tingle at the moment. An unknown feeling soared. Someone who likes me¡­. ¡°I-I¡­I really can¡¯t understand you. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re saying this right now¡­¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll be able to answer that one day. That day is surely near.¡± His ever-so affectionate face looked especially lonely today. But as always, my view of him started to get hazy once he had finished saying what he had to say. Because of that, I grabbed his clothes in a hurry. ¡°Just one. Just answer one question. Why do people sometimes forget you? Are you doing this on purpose?¡± ¡°Well, maybe the reason for my existence is unclear.¡± ¡°The reason¡­for your existence?¡± Who the hell are you? Who are you to say such a thing? Why are you talking as though you¡¯re about to disappear? My anxiety peaked. I instinctively put my hand on his chest. It was so weird. He shouldn¡¯t be alive based on his strange actions and words previously¡­ That was surely the case, but I felt a palpitation in his chest. Thump, thump. I certainly didn¡¯t feel it last time, but it was different this time. Luca is a living person. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed. For the first time, a woman¡¯s hand touched me.¡± I was more embarrassed, so I tried to pull my hand off his chest, but Luca held my hand. ¡®My hand is hot.¡¯ Back then, he didn¡¯t feel like a human being, but he was very human now. A living, breathing man. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 ¡°You¡¯re¡­alive?¡± ¡°Did you think I was dead?¡± ¡°¡­At least, you didn¡¯t seem like a living person.¡± I can¡¯t figure out this man at all. I¡¯m sure his heart did not beat last time. So why did it beat this time? ¡°Seriously¡­what are you¡­?¡± ¡°You talk as if I¡¯m a strange entity. I¡¯m a person. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m nothing like an almighty God or anything of that sort.¡± A warm smile tugged on his lips as he stretched out his hand toward me in a slow motion. ¡°I¡¯m also someone who can love you. Leona, I don¡¯t know what you think of me, but I¡¯ve fallen in love with you.¡± My rock-solid heart fluttered wildly. I was busy trying to live, and my heart, which was unoccupied because I¡¯ve been busy thinking about Rere, began malfunctioning after a long time. ¡°Wha-what are you talking about? I thought you were his family, Luca?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not family. Not brothers or distant relatives.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be impatient. We have a lot of time to get to know each other.¡± His hands, which caressed me carefully as if he was touching flower buds, were hotter than ever. ¡°Luca, I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hear the answer later. You just need to live. I¡¯ll take care of it, and time will solve the rest. Thus, when time passes, and the veil that is full of hidden secrets is lifted, I will tell you everything. Please wait. Even if you¡¯re curious.¡± At that moment, a light emitted from Luca¡¯s hand. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to ask you anything after all?¡± You make my heart flutter. You touch me with that handsome face of yours. ¡°Yes!¡± What do you mean ¡®yes¡¯? I would have been angry if the duke had said this, but it was Luca who was in front of me. With his sweet smile, he clasped my hands as the light kept emitting from his hands. Shortly after, the light faded into my hands. ¡°A man like Duke Ian isn¡¯t attractive, but a man with a lot of secrets is not that attractive either.¡± ¡°I only have to be attractive to one person.¡± It was then. ¡°Big Bunny¡­.where are you¡­.¡± Perhaps because Rere woke up, the child¡¯s voice was heard from inside. ¡°I-I think Rere is awake. I¡¯m going first.¡± ¡°Yes. Have a good night.¡± I hurriedly went inside. Fortunately, as if she hadn¡¯t fully woken up, Rere quickly stopped mumbling. But just in case, my eyes turned outside as I patted Rere. In case Luca was there. In case he didn¡¯t leave. But there hasn¡¯t been any movement outside since. Instead, I could only feel warmth in my hands, as if trying to let me know that he was here and how he screwed up my heart. I ended up staying up all night. How many people would be able to sleep comfortably after hearing a confession from a handsome guy who was always sweet to you? Each time I closed my eyes, I thought of Luca¡¯s face. When I tried to sleep, I heard his voice. ¡®He¡¯s a player.¡¯ That was my conclusion. Meanwhile, the sun gradually rose. ¡°Sigh¡­It¡¯s morning already.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe I stayed up all night because of Luca. No wonder it felt unfair. ¡°Sigh.¡± It was not until eleven that Rere, who did not know anything about my agony, woke up. ¡°Did you sleep well, Big Bunny?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± I pushed myself to smile brightly. I acted so well that even the maids and nanny who entered the room did not notice that I was up all night. But Rere creased her forehead and stared intently at the flesh beneath my eyes. ¡°There are dark circles under your eyes.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t sleep, right? Your eyes are red, too. Do you want to become a bunny just because you are a Big Bunny?¡± ¡°I-Is that so? Why are my eyes red, I wonder?¡± ¡°Your voice cracked too. You didn¡¯t sleep, did you?¡± ¡°Ahem, ahem, I need water.¡± I hurriedly put Rere down from my arms and grabbed a glass of water. But Rere snatched my glass with a brusque look. ¡°Big Bunny, you couldn¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°Oh, no. That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you sleep then?¡± ¡°I slept well.¡± ¡°Were you not able to sleep because of my rough sleeping habit?¡± ¡°So you knew?¡± At that moment, Rere opened her eyes wide and looked away. ¡°Umm, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°¡­I thought you didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! In fact, I¡¯ve always known my sleeping habit! So what? Big Bunny¡¯s sleeping habit is bad, too.¡± ¡°How bad is it?¡± ¡°Huh? You know¡­you hop around in your sleep. Hop! Hop!¡± ¡°..Hop, hop?¡± ¡°And then you cry like a rabbit!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± There was silence between us two. Perhaps because she thought it didn¡¯t make sense either, she picked up Ugly that was lying next to her. ¡°Anyways! Why couldn¡¯t you sleep? Is it because of me?¡± ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s not because of Rere.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I suppose I had something I had to think about.¡± ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± When I was looking at Rere, who was staring intently at me, while thinking about what excuse to make, Rere suddenly clapped her hand. ¡°Ah, I got it.¡± ¡°Wh-What?¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t sleep because you were thinking about daddy, right?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it?¡± ¡°Yes, I chose not to sleep last night after thinking about the poop water that Rere sprayed beautifully.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Rere clicked her tongue as if she was disappointed. ¡°So that was it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t sleep because you were thinking about Rere. No wonder. Because Rere is cool. But you can¡¯t fall in love with me. Rere is not going to marry Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Ah, really? Then, are you going to marry your daddy?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not a kid. Unlike other kids, I¡¯m not going to say, ¡®I¡¯m going to marry my dad¡¯.¡± I smiled unwittingly when Rere cutely mimicked the way other kids speak. ¡®You¡¯re a little kid, too.¡¯ But if I say this, Rere is going to go crazy. ¡°So, who¡¯s Rere going to marry?¡± ¡°Luca!¡± ¡°Huh, yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to marry Luca. I hate little kids. Kids my age are stupid, but Luca isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Do you like Luca?¡± ¡°Well, not really~ It¡¯s just¡­if I don¡¯t marry Luca, Big Bunny won¡¯t marry my daddy. It¡¯s my sacrifice.¡± The giggling Rere jumped out of bed. ¡°So, what are you going to do? I don¡¯t think Big Bunny slept well. Big Bunny should sleep more.¡± ¡°But madam still has a task to do.¡± Before I knew it, the nanny came inside with various brochures in her arms. ¡°What does Big Bunny need to do?¡± ¡°You said you wanted to hold a party, right? My master entrusted everything regarding the party to madam.¡± ¡°¡­To whom?¡± ¡°Of course, to you, madam.¡± At the end of her words, Rere ran and pulled the brochures from the nanny¡¯s arms. ¡°Ah, so this is what it¡¯s all about?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then I should take a look. Big Bunny, you should sleep more today, okay?¡± ¡°But I just can¡¯t fall asleep. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Look at you. Didn¡¯t you just admit it again? It¡¯s true that you didn¡¯t sleep, so just stay still today.¡± ¡°Madam. I think you should follow our miss¡¯ words.¡± The smiling nanny put down the brochures she brought in front of me. In the meantime, Rere was busy rummaging through the brochures as she was on her way back to the bed. Soon after, however, the child¡¯s mouth started blabbering. ¡°Why do we have to choose the floor material when we¡¯re having a party? Not only that, but also the curtains?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it usually is, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Oh my god. This is annoying. Annoying. Sigh.¡± My reaction was similar to Rere after I looked at the brochures for a little bit. ¡°Sigh¡­ Do we really have to do this party?¡± I got tired without doing anything. I was also frustrated since I couldn¡¯t even get out of bed because of Rere¡¯s order. ¡°I want to slack off, Rere.¡± ¡°Me too! Nanny, you can just pick randomly.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. My master has ordered me to leave everything to madam.¡± ¡­Doesn¡¯t he just want to bother people at this point? From the floor, curtains, chandelier¡¯s color, and dress code, to the types and amount of food. I couldn¡¯t believe I had to choose from a hundred types to serve wine. Like hell I know anything about these things. ¡°Sigh.¡± ¡°I am certain my master cares a lot about madam.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about, nanny?¡± ¡°Or else he wouldn¡¯t have entrusted everything to madam. Usually, he only entrusts the guest list to others and takes care of everything himself.¡± Why does it mean he cares about me when he puts me in charge of everything? I really can¡¯t understand anything about him. ¡°But why do I think he¡¯s handing it over to us because he doesn¡¯t want to work?¡± Perhaps Rere felt the same way as I did, so she wrinkled her forehead. ¡°But it¡¯s indeed true.¡± It was then. Luca entered the room carrying far more documents than the nanny brought in through the widely open door. ¡°It¡¯s Luca!¡± ¡°I¡¯m here¡­¡± My heart sank the moment I saw him, perhaps because of yesterday¡¯s incident. ¡°Good morning to both of you.¡± ¡°Yay! Luca! Good morning!¡± ¡°But why are you both still in bed?¡± ¡°Uhm, our Big Bunny didn¡¯t sleep well last night, so I want her to rest. If I don¡¯t do this, she¡¯ll run off to someplace again. Because she¡¯s a rabbit.¡± ¡°Rere.¡± At that time, Luca, who naturally put down the documents in front of us, put his big hand over my forehead. ¡°Are you having a fever?¡± ¡°Oh, no!¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. I should¡¯ve checked that first. Uwa, Big Bunny! Your cheeks are red! You¡¯ve got a fever! You¡¯re sick!¡± No. I¡¯m not sick at all. But Rere rubbed her cheek against mine. ¡°It¡¯s so hot! She must be sick. Nanny! Go get a doctor! Our Big Bunny might be dying!¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Rere pinched both of my cheeks with a worried expression. ¡°Hot! Hot! It¡¯s as hot as a boiled egg! Come on! Big Bunny, you¡¯re going to pop!¡± The maids in the room ran out quickly at Rere¡¯s deafening scream. The pale-faced nanny also rushed to me. ¡°Are you sick, madam?¡± ¡°Oh, no! I¡¯m not sick!¡± But three pairs of eyes watched me intently as if they didn¡¯t believe it. In the end, I removed Luca¡¯s hand myself as it is the main cause of my reddened cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Really.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not okay, Big Bunny. You keep saying you¡¯re okay, when you¡¯re not. It¡¯s going to be a pain! What a nuisance to Rere!¡± At the same time, Rere lied down beside me after covering me with a blanket. ¡°I¡¯m going to take care of Big Bunny!¡± ¡°Rere, are you going to take care of me? By lying down like this?¡± ¡°Yes. You just need to hold Rere¡¯s hand.¡± The small, soft hand of hers was wrapped around my hand tightly. Almost as though she was afraid I might go somewhere. ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll lie down and rest today. So about the doctor¡­¡± ¡°No. You have to see a doctor! Or else I¡¯ll make a fuss here.¡± ¡°Ah, alright.¡± Rere stroked my head with a satisfied face. ¡°Still hot.¡± But Rere didn¡¯t know that my heart was beating like crazy because Luca looked at me with a worried expression. And behind him, I could see the bewildered nanny. ¡°I think I should rest for now. Nanny, we¡¯ll do the rest later.¡± ¡°Um¡­I also think it¡¯s better to postpone it until madam gets better. However, the party is going to be held next week. There are a few urgent things that must be taken care of.¡± ¡°¡­In a week?¡± ¡°Yes. Master can¡¯t wait to introduce madam to other people, so he pushed it forward.¡± Even corpses in the grave would wake up after hearing that. I almost rose from my seat as well, but Rere held me firmly. ¡°No, you can¡¯t. Lie down.¡± ¡°Rere, next week¡­¡± At that time, ¡°Oh my. Are you sick? Do you have a fever? Are you coughing?¡± The doctor, who was sweating intensely, rushed inside and headed to Rere straight away. Then, he sighed and began making the medicine in a swift manner. ¡°What is it this time?¡± ¡°Fever!¡± ¡°Please wait. This is the medicine for a fever. I got a very precious herb for you this time. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to have a tremendous effect because it was already used last time¡­¡± He had already finished making the medicine before anyone could say anything. ¡°But you look better today. I¡¯m relieved, but please take the medicine¡­¡± ¡°Who says I¡¯m sick?¡± ¡°¡­Sorry? You¡¯re not sick?¡± ¡°Not me, but Big Bunny is having a fever.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± The doctor, who became even more surprised, exclaimed. ¡°Oh, no. Because they didn¡¯t tell me who was sick, I presumed it must be our young miss. It can¡¯t be helped. Here, please take this.¡± He didn¡¯t even say sorry and handed me the medicine he just made. ¡°Isn¡¯t that medicine for Rere?¡± ¡°Because you said you have a fever. I saw your face burning red.¡± ¡°But¡­why are you giving me medicine that was specifically made for Rere?¡± ¡°This is just a fever-reducing medicine. So there¡¯s nothing special about it. Ordinary drugs that people usually take are quite effective.¡± Isn¡¯t it because you¡¯re too lazy to make it? ¡°Is that so? In that case, it¡¯s quite effective for anyone, huh?¡± ¡°Please take it.¡± ¡°Hurry up and eat it, Big Bunny. He¡¯s quite capable even if he looks like that. It didn¡¯t hurt when I ate it.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean by that, miss?¡± ¡°But, doctor¡­¡± In the midst of the two who were quarreling, I nervously asked the doctor. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What happens when a sick person eats it?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never dealt with such a stupid case before, so I don¡¯t know.¡± I didn¡¯t feel good about it, but I didn¡¯t show my nasty temper to anyone aside from the duke. How could you not know? You¡¯re a doctor. Shouldn¡¯t you know the side effects at the very least? However, I couldn¡¯t spew out a single complaint¡­ At that time, Rere took the medicine from the doctor and put it in my hands. ¡°Hurry up. Eat it, Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Uhm, yes. I will.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Big bunny doesn¡¯t want to eat it? Are you a child?¡± ¡°No. I will.¡± Everyone watched me closely, so I ended up taking it even though I wasn¡¯t sick. ¡°Gosh, it¡¯s so bitter.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± Rere¡¯s adorable hand gently patted my head as if she was praising a little kid. The nanny, Luca, and even the doctor looked at me as though I had done a good job. Due to that, I got embarrassed, and hastily handed out the empty bottle to the doctor. ¡°But I thought you said it contained a precious herb. Can I use that for myself?¡± ¡°It does, but¡­I think it¡¯ll be fine if it¡¯s madam.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I was told to save medicine for madam.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. A few days ago, my master gave me expensive herbs and asked me to make medicine to keep your body healthy. He said you must have a problem because you looked pale.¡± What¡¯s with him this time? ¡°Since he told me to make you medicine, I was going to visit you, madam. So, this actually turned for the better.¡± ¡°Medicine, you say?¡± The duke ordered him to give me medicine? Aren¡¯t you mistaking it with poison? ¡°Daddy did that?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°He must have come to his senses!¡± ¡°¡­Rere, do you trust your daddy?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± I didn¡¯t believe him. So I frowned when I saw Rere smile innocently. ¡°Umm¡­Big Bunny, you still don¡¯t like my daddy, right?¡± ¡°Yes! I never said I liked him!¡± Seeing Rere smiling brightly, I felt a little anxious. Surely, he¡¯s not going to tell people that he¡¯s doing it for my sake when he¡¯s, in fact, planning to kill me, right? ¡®Didn¡¯t he say he hates me more than Astra?¡¯ ¡°Rere, by the way¡­¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Did your daddy ever say something about your fourth mother?¡± ¡°Um¡­.¡± ¡°Did he?¡± ¡°He did.¡± That¡¯s it. It turns out that the situation of the third mother in the novel went off course not because of Rere, but because of the duke. It was then. Luca stepped in as if to lessen my anxiety. ¡°Have you found the medicine to cure our young miss?¡± Luca, who had been looking at us affectionately, urged him with a sharp voice. ¡°N-Not yet¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s upsetting considering you¡¯re the most talented person in the empire, and we only managed to bring you in after much difficulty.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­because Miss Rebecca has an incurable disease¡­¡± Luca¡¯s voice was so cold that I thought he was someone else. If I didn¡¯t recognize him initially, I would have mistaken him with the duke. ¡°So, you haven¡¯t found a way?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s no solution at all. A medicine I asked her to take was effective recently.¡± ¡°Effective? Tell me the exact medicine that was effective and the exact situation in detail.¡± ¡°Why must I say such things to a mere knight¡­!¡± Although he was irritated, the doctor quickly noticed Luca¡¯s foul mood. ¡°Ahem, ahem. Well, rather than the medicine, I think it has something to do with the circumstances. It was a strange case. After consuming the pills for a few days, our young miss became a lot better.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s normal to get better after consuming medicine for days?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that! It worked even when I gave her fake medicines.¡± All of us were dumbfounded and stared at him. ¡°Fake medicine? Don¡¯t tell me you took all that money and fed her fake medicines?¡± ¡°I-It was a mistake. I¡¯ve only done that a few times. I¡¯ll report to the duke myself, so you don¡¯t have to be concerned!¡± Unintentionally confessing his mind, he mouthed the word ¡®damn it¡¯ with a stiff face. ¡°Damn it, why am I telling you this¡­!¡± ¡°Seems like you¡¯re confessing.¡± ¡°¡­Nonsense! I never liked you from the start! A knight with a face exactly like the duke!¡± The doctor blew his nose as if he was extremely irritated. ¡°I admire you so much. I believe that you¡¯ll find medicine that can cure our young miss. Therefore, I look forward to your cooperation.¡± He returned to his affectionate self. In the meantime, the doctor was preparing to leave. ¡°In any case, since our young miss is not sick, I¡¯ll have to excuse myself. Please let me know if she is sick. Of course, if the madam is as well¡­¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± He looked wary of Luca and quickly left. On the other hand, Rere¡¯s gaze never left me despite the occurrences that have happened so far. ¡°Rere, why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Then, since I¡¯ve taken my medication, shall we look at the documents?¡± ¡°You may not like it, but I think Big Bunny needs to rest!¡± ¡°May I help you then?¡± Luca, who was watching us, smiled affectionately and sat down on the chair next to the bed. ¡°That would be great!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sit here and tell you the best option. Then, please choose between them.¡± ¡°Madam, that¡¯s a good idea!¡± ¡°Rere also likes it!¡± Everyone liked it, so I only nodded at Luca¡¯s suggestion. Why are you so sweet? I had such thoughts from time to time. Sometimes, I even thought Luca might be the duke himself. But they had different eye colors. Maybe¡­ ¡°Rere, there¡¯s no way Luca is your daddy, right?¡± ¡°Yes, why? Does Big Bunny want Luca to be my daddy?¡± ¡°Yes, because he¡¯s sweet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But what can we do?¡± ¡°Would you like me to be Ms. Leona¡¯s husband and the young miss¡¯ father?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 52 Chapter 52 At that moment, Rere¡¯s eyes sparkled. Rere, who was lying down next to me, raised her upper body. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Luca¡¯s large hand passed me and stroked Rere¡¯s head. ¡°I hope it will happen someday.¡± A refreshing scent attracted my attention to his forearm, and then I got lost in his tight muscles. Due to that, my heart raced uncontrollably. But I tried to get back to my senses, and pretended to be fine. Of course, Luca¡¯s eyes were on me again. ¡°Shall we start now? First of all, among these 28 types of wine, there are 3 wines that are both delicious and easy to supply¡­¡± After that, Luca talked about the various things needed for the party for a long time in a meticulous manner so that I wouldn¡¯t have a hard time choosing among the ones available. Rere fell asleep as I was busy deciding the necessary things for the party. Perhaps because it was already late at night. And then, days after that, I got busier preparing for the party with the nanny, Luca, and Rere. Before I knew it, the party was just around the corner. Although we were finished with the preparations, on the day of the party itself, my heart raced like crazy. The thought of wanting to escape dominated my head. ¡°Are you awake? You are right on time.¡± As soon as the nanny and the maids saw me awake, they dragged me to the bathroom as if I was a paper doll and soaked me in water. ¡°Kyaaa!¡± ¡°We need to be fast. You have to meet the guests before the party starts, so you need to get ready now.¡± ¡°Wait, wait a second¡­.¡± They had no second thoughts as they helped me get ready. They even turned a deaf ear to my words when I repeatedly said that I could prepare alone and continued massaging my whole body in a swift manner. ¡°Uhm, I¡¯m fine with¡­¡± But it felt surprisingly pleasant. I was supposed to wave my hand to beckon them to leave and tell them to stop, but their massage felt too relaxing to do so. ¡°Ah, right there¡­.. Yes¡­.. Ah.¡± ¡°Do you like it, madam?¡± ¡°Very much.¡± ¡°It was worthwhile to train a few maids to hone their massaging technique.¡± The nanny shrugged her shoulders with a proud look. If you can¡¯t avoid it, enjoy it. In the end, I entrusted my body to them. ¡°Kyaaa! Oh no!¡± At that time, Rere¡¯s scream resounded throughout the room. The people inside, who moved relaxedly in tune with a piece of classical music, sprang out in a hurry as though they were watching a horror movie as soon as they heard Rere¡¯s scream. ¡°A-Are you up?¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± Surprised by Rere¡¯s scream, the nanny quickly went out. ¡°Uaaaaah. She left again, again!!! Again!!!¡± ¡°Oh, miss!¡± ¡°I hate this! I hate it so much!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on, miss? Hmm?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing the party! I don¡¯t want it!¡± Rere¡¯s voice was louder than ever. ¡°Miss!¡± In the end, to soothe the child, I quickly wiped my hair roughly before going out of the bathroom in the next second. ¡°Rere, my baby, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Rere, who was kicking the nanny in a fit of temper, turned her head towards me. ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Hmm? Rere, you¡¯re calling me mom now?¡± ¡°No, you idiot! W-why are you here?¡± ¡°Why am I here, you ask? Of course to prepare for the party.¡± ¡°But I¡­.!¡± Rere sprang towards me tearfully as I was fixing my bathrobe. ¡°I thought you were gone! I thought you left me again. As soon as I woke up, I looked for you. But you weren¡¯t there, and so¡­¡± I thought she was fine, but I guess I was wrong. Rere, like a child she was, bawled uncontrollably and rubbed her head against my body. My heart went haywire because I forgot the child has always been vulnerable despite her bright appearance. ¡°Rere, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Mom, mom¡­.. Don¡¯t go anywhere, okay? Wherever it is, you can¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll never leave.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tie our hands together when we¡¯re asleep. Because¡­I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll leave and go to someplace again.¡± The child, who had been murmuring for a long time, finally looked up and made eye contact with me. ¡°I was so scared¡­.. I felt my vision turn black. I felt as if my fever went up all of a sudden¡­¡± I quickly hugged the panicked child. Because of that, the towel in my head fell off, and water dripped down from my wet hair. Nevertheless, Rere continued to bury her head in my chest. ¡°I thought my mom ran away on the day of my most anticipated party because I¡¯ve been doing bad things to mom¡­¡± ¡°Bad things?¡± ¡°¡­Well! I was just¡­trying to express my affection to you! That¡¯s all I can do to show my love for you, so¡­.. Mom, do you hate it?¡± ¡°No way. I like it. I don¡¯t mind Rere swearing at me. I still like Rere even if she does that.¡± At my words, a bashful smile spread on Rere¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°Yes! I felt like I was about to have a fever! I felt like I was about to collapse as well! But then, suddenly, I felt all better again when I saw my mom! Haa, my Big Bunny must have washed up. Your face is so smooth!¡± Rere said so as her little hands caressed my cheeks. ¡°You¡¯ve become so pretty!¡± ¡°Really? Am I getting prettier?¡± ¡°Yup! You¡¯ve gotten a little more attractive. My mom is pretty!¡± ¡°Will you be calling me mom now?¡± ¡°No. Big Bunny! Stop fussing over it! I like Big Bunny more than my mom!¡± Rere, who puffed her cheeks, made eye contact with me for a long time. Due to that, the child¡¯s pajamas became damp from the water dripping off my hair. ¡°But, Rere, if you continue to stay in this position, you¡¯ll get even more wet. But now that it has come to this, let¡¯s wash up together!¡± ¡°Uhm, do I need to wash up, too?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wash up and get ready for the party together.¡± ¡°Your matching dresses are ready!¡± Only then did Rere nod with an expression full of excitement. ¡°I¡¯m going to wash up!¡± ¡°Yes. But, Rere. I think I¡¯ll have to go first to meet the guests. In the meantime, you should wash up and get ready, okay?¡± ¡°Okay! However, you must wear a different dress! Our matching dresses are only for our eyes to see. Alright?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The day before the party, I was informed by the Duke that before the party began, the nanny and the maids had to tend to me earlier than Rere since I had to greet the guests. Hence, two maids were glued to me now. ¡°Your hair is so pretty, madam.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°It looks magical. Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never seen your hair color before.¡± It was May. I thought she really quit her job because I haven¡¯t seen her for a while. But at some point, May gradually started to fulfill her duties as a maid once again. Perhaps it¡¯s because she failed to get the court maid position. I didn¡¯t feel like asking her to confirm my assumption, though. ¡°Is that so?¡¯ ¡°Yes! I thought it was amazing the moment I saw it. Brilliant silver hair is rare after all!¡± At that moment, I recalled the appearances of Leona¡¯s family. She was the only one with such perfect silver hair. Her father¡¯s hair was more white than silver. It was a little strange. Because of that sudden realization, I touched my hair. Perhaps because I was taken care of well in this mansion, my hair was so shiny. ¡°Silver hair, huh¡­¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve seen someone with a similar hair color before! At the Imperial Palace!¡± ¡°The Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°Yes! It was a woman who seemed to be a noble, but she had a similar hair color to yours, madam!¡± ¡°¡­I see. I presume it¡¯s because silver hair is rare.¡± ¡°That makes sense. And maybe because I was so nervous¡­¡± May mumbled. ¡°By the way, May.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you go to the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve mentioned before, I tried to apply as a court maid¡­but I got eliminated. I made it through the final selection, but as soon as they found out I wasn¡¯t the princess¡¯ personal maid, I got eliminated.¡± May grumbled. ¡°When they heard you weren¡¯t the princess¡¯ personal maid, you got eliminated?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s absurd, isn¡¯t it?¡± That¡¯s even weirder. It was just a complaint, but I could feel that something was off. She got rejected not because she was underqualified to become the princess¡¯ personal maid, but because she wasn¡¯t one to begin with. It seemed as though they are trying to dig out information about Rere. Why? Why the hell are you curious about Rere? ¡®Is it because she¡¯s already nominated to be the crown princess?¡¯ But at that time¡­ ¡°Are you not ready yet?¡± While I was lost in thought, someone stepped inside the room. It was the same man who always barged in without knocking. ¡°Master,¡± It was the duke. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re ready yet.¡± ¡°No. I just need to wear a dress, and then I¡¯ll be ready.¡± ¡°Then do it quickly.¡± He was always stern, even when he clearly saw that I was already preparing myself in a swift manner. Because he didn¡¯t care about how others felt. Because of his words, the maids began to dress me up as fast as they could. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡°Do you not like the dress?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I¡¯ll wear the matching dress I have with Rere after meeting the guests, so please prepare the simple one for now.¡± Nevertheless, the simple dress they prepared was quite flashy. It was a white dress that matched well with her silver hair. It wouldn¡¯t be weird to go to a wedding hall wearing this dress. ¡°It¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you have a simpler dress?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± May was so bright at times like this. May smiled broadly as usual, but I ended up wearing a matching necklace and ring with the white dress. ¡°She¡¯s ready, master.¡± ¡°¡­I see. Let¡¯s go.¡± For a moment, it seemed as though he lost his composure, but he didn¡¯t say anything about my appearance. While I was walking side by side with him, my heart was pounding. Not because of him, but because I was nervous to meet the guests. What kind of people are they? Well, of course they¡¯ll respond to me sharply. ¡°Ahem.¡± After a long walk, he stopped his stride. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°¡­I have something to discuss.¡± ¡°With me?¡± ¡°Yes, we are to discuss it together. Someone advised me to do this.¡± ¡°¡­Is it Luca again?¡± He flinched when I said that. ¡°Anyway, I got a notice from the palace.¡± ¡°What is it about?¡± ¡°They want Rere to be the Crown Princess.¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 ¡°Sigh.¡± Upon hearing his words, a part of my heart started to feel stuffy. ¡°The Crown Princess¡­.. Even though she¡¯s only five?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s the rush? It¡¯s not too late to decide after we hear Rere¡¯s opinion.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s the order of His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°Are you going to obey the emperor¡¯s order even if it¡¯s absurd?¡± At that time, his pupils shook slightly. ¡°Why is it absurd?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it absurd to appoint a mere five-year-old as the crown princess?¡± ¡°That is politics¡­¡± ¡°Politics, huh? Even if it¡¯s because of a political reason or another reason, have you ever thought about what your beloved daughter doesn¡¯t want to do and take it into consideration?¡± If I could, I would¡¯ve spit out the whole truth. ¡®Don¡¯t let the child become the crown princess. Or else, everyone will die.¡¯ But if I say that, it would seem too absurd for him. What¡¯s more, he would see me as a crazy person moving forward. ¡®If it¡¯s Luca, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d see me that way.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s why I wanted to discuss it with you.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve made myself clear.¡± ¡°Well, in any case¡­¡± ¡°Seems like I can¡¯t say no either way.¡± At my words, his eyes began to stare at me intently. ¡°What the hell do you want? Are you going to let a five-year-old child become the crown princess just because the Emperor desires it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s another reason why. Perhaps you aren¡¯t aware because it hasn¡¯t been long since you became a noble again, but it¡¯s in our best interest to receive such a high and important position. Because it¡¯s our highest honor to rise to the top.¡± ¡°Honor¡­¡± ¡°To become the crown princess, and later, the Empress, means that you¡¯ve become the best woman in the empire!¡± My bath session earlier is far more pleasing than listening to this cockroach preaching. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± ¡°What? Who¡¯s being ridiculous?¡± ¡°Ah, sorry. I got angry and had a slip of tongue. But, you. Don¡¯t you love Rere?¡± ¡°Of course. I love her more than anyone else.¡± ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, what makes it so hard for you to make objective judgements?¡± His eyes shook violently as if surprised by every word I said. That didn¡¯t stop me from talking, though. ¡°Have you ever asked Rere if she wants to be an Empress?¡± ¡°Children of that age always change what they desire.¡± There was no telling whether he was stubborn or just stupid. Perhaps he was simply insensible. But one thing for sure¡ªhe¡¯s the worst man ever. ¡°You¡¯re still the same as before.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You keep making assumptions as you please, doing things as you please, and in the end, going crazy alone because of it¡­.. The same thing has happened before. Have you forgotten already? You¡¯re not even an amoeba.¡± I was annoyed, and clicked my tongue. Although I could see that he was visibly shocked by my words. ¡°What¡¯s an amoeba?¡± ¡°A perfect example would be you.¡± A unicellular human. The kind of person I hate the most in the world. (T/N: A way to describe a simple-minded person. Someone who has no brain capacity to process complex things.) ¡°¡­Is that, perhaps, a compliment?¡± ¡°If that sounded like a compliment, you must be a very positive person.¡± ¡°¡­Anyway, I get your point now. I¡¯ll ask the child.¡± ¡°Even if you ask Rere, and she says she wants to be the Empress, I would still disagree, no matter what! ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I love her.¡± I took a step ahead of him. I will never let the child die. Getting engaged with the Crown Prince is the same as taking the highway. [E/N: Taking the highway ¨C Sending Rere directly to her predestined ending.] ¡®Even if we can¡¯t avoid it, let¡¯s try to take the winding road as much as possible.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t let go of a child who called me mom. I was even anxious if I wasn¡¯t around her. So, I made up my mind. I will do everything I can to save my baby. ¡°It¡¯s as if you¡¯re saying that everything I do is not because I love my child.¡± ¡°Stop sulking like a kid. At least, anyone with eyes can see that what you did doesn¡¯t reflect love at all.¡± ¡°Leona.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. You¡¯re not going to keep the guests waiting any longer, are you?¡± He, who tried to refute my words, ended up shutting his mouth with a crumpled face. ¡°You always talk to me this way.¡± ¡°Oh no, am I getting on your nerves again? Now I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll kick me out like last time.¡± Not a single nice word came out of my mouth. Based on that man¡¯s personality, and based on our conversation today, it was clear that the duke will try to persuade the child even if she doesn¡¯t want to be one. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t leave Rere¡¯s side from now on.¡¯ With those resolutions in mind, I confidently took my steps on the unknown path ahead. Of course, I ended up taking the wrong way again. ¡°¡­It¡¯s this way.¡± ¡°¡­Ahem. Okay.¡± When will I be able to make my way around this castle? I initially thought that after a person showed me the way to a specific place, I¡¯d be able to make my way towards it the next time, but it seems as if I¡¯m still bad with directions. In the meantime, we arrived in front of a door with many luxurious and beautiful decorations around it. Seeing as there were numerous servants and knights lined up by the door, the vassals must be inside. The vassals consisted of people who could lead the duchy on behalf of the Duke in case something happened. Among them, there were also distant relatives of the Duke who could become his substitute if he ever makes a mistake. As if to prove it, I felt a sharp atmosphere once the door opened. ¡°Duke Ian Petri has entered the hall.¡± Twenty people, who were both of old and young age, bowed at the same time when someone announced the Duke¡¯s arrival. Because of that, my body instantly stiffened. It was my first time being greeted by so many people. Then, the duke reached out to me. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± While trembling, I held his hand. However, to me, it felt as if I just placed my hand on top of his, but the Duke naturally held my hand tightly. With much difficulty, I managed to stop the tremor, but the big ring on my hand started to cause me pain. ¡°It hurts.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± It wasn¡¯t until we arrived at the seat of honor that I whispered to him. Having let go of my hand, he took me to sit on a chair before he sat down next to me ¡°I think all of you are aware of the reason why I¡¯ve gathered you today. From today onwards, Leona Petri is my wife.¡± ¡°Ah! I see.¡± ¡°You get new wives frequently, so I¡¯m surprised you¡¯ve never done this before.¡± ¡°Of course, since this is something worth celebrating. She¡¯s the new duchess, after all. No, aren¡¯t you the first one?¡± There was an obvious hostility in their voices. While it was happening, the duke silently tapped on his armchair. He just let them chatter among themselves. ¡°But, hasn¡¯t it been a long time since you¡¯ve met the vassals?¡± ¡°Furthermore, a party? The last time you held a big party like this was when Mrs. Lalice was still alive, right?¡± ¡°Stop.¡± The duke, who had been listening silently until now, hurriedly stopped them. ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± ¡°Hoho. What nonsense?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not here to talk about Lalice.¡± His eyes that scoured his surroundings were sharper than ever. Lalice. ¡®She must be Rere¡¯s mother. The first duchess. No, maybe she wasn¡¯t even known as a duchess.¡¯ Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be Rere¡¯s third mother. There were three duchesses officially listed on paper. And, I already know what happened to the two before me. ¡®What exactly happened to her that she died without being recognized as a duchess?¡¯ At that time¡­ ¡°Your Excellency. It¡¯s been a while since we gathered together, that¡¯s why we made a slip of tongue here and there.¡± It was an old man with black hair and red eyes similar to the Duke who spoke. The one who sat next to him was a man with spiteful red eyes and blue hair. Similar to the old man, he looked at me with contempt. Because of that, I was able to instantly figure out who they were among the vassals. If the duke made a mistake, those people will be the one to replace him. ¡°Felipe.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°You came with your son today.¡± ¡°Yes. I should take my son to such a happy occasion, right? The Duchess is going to give birth to a new successor at last. Seeing as Your Excellency has fallen in love and even went as far as throwing a grand party like this.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°By any chance, which family do you belong to? Last time, I heard a rumor that Princess Arvida was taken as the duchess, but it seems like that¡¯s not true.¡± Their eyes glanced sharply at me. It seemed like they were trying to inspect everything about me down to my fingernails. ¡°Is that important?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about her family background. All the women that I¡¯ve brought in as Rere¡¯s stepmother that were from reputable families were nothing but rubbish.¡± ¡°You mean, that woman¡¯s family is¡­¡± I thought they¡¯d be disappointed, but somehow, they looked happy. ¡°Isn¡¯t it rather good for you? She¡¯s a woman without a family to support her, so it¡¯ll be easy for you to get rid of her along with me.¡± ¡°Your Excellency. How could you say that? We are always here to support you and devote ourselves to the glory of this family¡­¡± ¡°The family will fall into ruin if you keep chewing it out. We¡¯re done with our greetings, so we¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate, even for a second. The duke, who rose from his seat first, reached out to me again. I took his hand and got up quickly. ¡°Then everyone, please enjoy the party.¡± He just left as if what they¡¯re going to say behind his back doesn¡¯t matter to him. ¡°Will it be okay? Leaving like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Duke. It won¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°Well, they don¡¯t seem to think the same.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. You have nothing to worry about.¡± For some reason, he was holding my hand more gently than before. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 54 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 54 ¡°Is it really okay?¡± ¡°They¡¯d still nitpick on whoever I introduce as the Duchess even if it wasn¡¯t you. No need to worry.¡± ¡°I thought the duke had the power to bring everyone to their knees, but it seems like I was wrong.¡± ¡°A duke, after all, is a man who owns a lot of things. The more you own, the more likely you are to lose and be vulnerable to attack.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But I won¡¯t fall so easily. As long as I have a daughter to protect. And someone else to protect¡­¡± His gaze reached me for a moment. ¡°As I see it, it seems like I¡¯m the other person you want to protect.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I want to protect you too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± My god, this is so terribly awkward. ¡°I¡¯m not weak. More importantly, I don¡¯t need to be protected by the man I hate the most. I¡¯m not as stupid as you think I am either.¡± He wouldn¡¯t kill me for saying this, right? I thought he would be upset and refute me, but he just nodded with a smirk on his face. ¡°I see. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been straightforward with me ever since. Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°¡­Even though I¡¯m a Duke?¡± ¡°For asking such a question, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say you¡¯re acting like a child. You should be afraid of me because I¡¯m the Duke! That must be what you¡¯re thinking, right?¡± As if I was right, the duke cleared his throat. No way¡­.. Did he really have such childish thoughts? -He returned to his childhood days when he wasn¡¯t afraid of anything. That¡¯s why he did such things that were difficult for others to understand. Sometimes, he¡¯s even more childish than Rere. At that moment, Luca¡¯s words crossed my mind. ¡°More childish than Rere¡­¡± ¡°No way.¡± In the meantime, we arrived in front of Rere¡¯s room. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what a child would say.¡± I spat out the last thing I wanted him to hear. His hand stretched towards me as if he wanted to say something. Of course, I ignored him and went inside. Once I entered the room, I saw Rere grumbling in her bathrobe.. ¡°Rere! Are you done with your bath?¡± Normally, Rere would have been so happy and called me ¡®Big Bunnyyy!¡¯ at my arrival, but instead, she pouted her lips as if she were a duck as soon as she saw me. ¡°Why are you so upset!¡± ¡°Damn it¡­Why are you so late? Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting? I couldn¡¯t wait to try on the dress!¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing it yet then?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? You said we have matching outfits! So, we should wear it together!¡± She took the concept of matching outfits too seriously, which is why she¡¯s upset. ¡°Rere could¡¯ve worn it first.¡± ¡°No! I want mom to be the first person to see Rere at her prettiest!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I hurriedly held Rere in my arms. ¡°Ah, how nice.¡± ¡°Tch¡­.. In any case, how did the meeting with the vassals go? Did those old men bully my Big Bunny?¡± Rere, who was livid at the thought of it alone, gritted her teeth. ¡°No. I wasn¡¯t bullied.¡± ¡°You must¡¯ve been bullied! Which bastard was it?! Dammit¡­.. They¡¯re all dead! In the first place, I never liked them. Tell me. I¡¯ll lecture them at the party! Look at my bunny! She¡¯s feeling so down to the point I can even notice it from her ears!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I came out as soon as I got there.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust you. I must go and lecture them. I won¡¯t leave them alone now that I¡¯m aware they bullied my bunny! It must be Felipe. That old man is the most troublesome among them!¡± At Rere¡¯s words, I remembered the man¡¯s face. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve met him.¡± ¡°He sure talks a lot¡­.. Dammit¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­! I won¡¯t tell you. Talking about him ruined my mood all of a sudden. More importantly, I want to dance with Big Bunny today.¡± ¡°Alright. Forget it, let¡¯s just wear our dresses. Have you seen them already?¡± ¡°No! I held myself back until Big Bunny came.¡± She stood proudly as if she wanted to be praised. Her cuteness made me speechless, but when she noticed that I didn¡¯t say a word, her plump lips were pouting again. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say?¡± ¡°Huh? What am I supposed to say?¡± ¡°Huh! You have to say something about what Rere did¡­. Do I even have to say that?¡± In the end, I burst into laughter at Rere¡¯s cuteness. ¡°Rere is very cute.¡± ¡°Not that!¡± ¡°Okay, okay. Rere is such a good girl for doing a good job at waiting for mom so we could wear our matching outfits at the same time. How cute.¡± Only then did Rere smile so brightly. ¡°Shall we put on the dress now?¡± The nanny, who was waiting behind us the whole time, went next to us. ¡°I was planning to do that anyway. Nanny, you didn¡¯t have to remind me. I¡¯m going to do that now!¡± ¡°I see. Madam, you need to put her down first since you need to take off your dress.¡± ¡°Alright. Rere, mom will go first, okay?¡± ¡°Ah! No need to tell me that. Take off your clothes! Hurry!¡± It was difficult for me to take off the dress by myself, so I went to the dressing room with the nanny and the maids. As usual, their hands moved in a swift manner. ¡°Nanny.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you familiar with Felipe?¡± I asked her in a low voice so as to make sure that Rere didn¡¯t hear it from outside. ¡°Ah, that person.¡± The nanny leaned towards me as if she knew something. ¡°He is the son of Lord Celiot Petri. The brother of our master¡¯s grandfather, Duke Absault Petri.¡± ¡°¡­So he¡¯s a relative.¡± ¡°He is the Duke¡¯s closest relative. What¡¯s more, he has a son¡­¡± As the nanny continued on, her voice became lower than before. ¡°For that reason, he was always outspoken about our miss¡¯ birth. Especially since there¡¯s a lot of secrets regarding her birth that even I¡¯m not aware of¡­ However, I do know that they were discussing whether or not the miss will be included in the family¡­¡± The nanny sighed deeply. ¡°The Duke introduced a baby as his daughter out of nowhere. Who would¡¯ve accepted such a thing?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Lord Felipe opposed the idea even more than the others who did because if our miss wasn¡¯t here, the next successor would¡¯ve been his son. Seeing as my master wasn¡¯t even planning on getting married.¡± It was the perfect chance for him. So, that old man, Felipe, had no choice but to disagree. ¡°You have a distant relative who is fit to be the successor of our family, so why did you have to introduce a child of unknown blood as your daughter¡ªis what they said.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Because of that, the vassals had a big argument. They said the Duke was still too young to decide his successor at that time. In the end, the Duke declared that he would only accept our miss as his successor.¡± ¡°What did that bastard do to my Rere¡­.¡± ¡°He would stealthily harass her every time they met. Ever since she was only three.¡± That explains why Rere was so wary of him. I became furious at the thought of it alone. I couldn¡¯t fathom how much Rere got hurt because of him. Due to that, I clenched my fists tightly. ¡°I¡¯m glad I asked you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± ¡°The next time I see him again, I won¡¯t leave him alone.¡± ¡°Still, among the Duke¡¯s relatives, he¡¯s the strongest in terms of power. He¡¯s the only one with a Marquis title as well. For that reason, both him and his son are people you need to be cautious of.¡± As I listened to the nanny, I became even more determined. I won¡¯t let him go. How dare he do that to my daughter¡­.. No wonder Rere was so frightened. At that moment¡­ ¡°Oh my gosh. Bunny! Are you a turtle?¡± Pop-! Rere popped her head in the dressing room. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve taken off your clothes.¡± Rere, who hopped inside as if she was a rabbit, jumped in my arms. ¡°Big Bunny is so soft. It feels so good. Mom smells good as well.¡± ¡°Really? Rere¡¯s scent is pleasant, too. It¡¯s like that of a bunny¡¯s.¡± ¡°I know!¡± ¡°You know?¡± ¡°I smell like a bunny because Big Bunny is my mom. I¡¯m a baby bunny!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°You¡¯re my mother, and I¡¯m your daughter, right?¡± Rere¡¯s eyes glistened as if she wanted to confirm that we were family. ¡°Of course~ We¡¯re a bunny family.¡± ¡°Yey! Come on, where are the dresses! I still haven¡¯t seen them yet!¡± The dresses were wrapped in a veil. Madame Cecilia brought the dresses last night, saying that she did her best so that it would satisfy us. So, Rere and I promised to look at them together. ¡°Woah¡­!¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± As soon as we saw the dresses, we couldn¡¯t stop admiring them. The color of the dresses was a mix of a shade of blue close to that of the dark space and a shade of blue that is similar to the blue sky. However, that didn¡¯t mean the color stood out to the point it blinded my eyes. Additionally, it was luxurious in a way that couldn¡¯t be explained with words. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The skirt was adorned with diamonds as if it were stars, and its color became darker when it was viewed from the top to the bottom. But, it did not have ribbons or a flamboyant pattern. That day, Madame Cecilia clenched her fist in determination and promised to come up with a design that would please us. I¡¯m amazed at the fact that she was able to make these in a week. Seeing as Rere kept her mouth shut for a long time, it seems like I wasn¡¯t the only one who admired the dresses. ¡°It¡¯s not tacky, not childish, and not common.¡± ¡°It¡¯s luxurious, but it¡¯s prettier than the usual luxurious dresses because of its unique design!¡± I agree. The two dresses aren¡¯t identical. But because the dresses match so well with each other, it truly feels like they are matching outfits. ¡°Come on, Big Bunny! Let¡¯s put these on, and set out. We should let the world know that Rere¡¯s mom is here.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Because of Rere¡¯s urging, the nanny and the maids¡¯ hands became even busier. Of course, the smile on her face never left even for a second. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 55 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 55 Has Rere ever been this happy? Rere was humming to herself as she happily spread her arms out. ¡°You¡¯re so lively today.¡± ¡°What?! I¡¯m always lively. Hmph. Don¡¯t make it sound like me being lively is strange, nanny!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I made a mistake.¡± With her tongue out, Rere urged her nanny once again. And so, the nanny, who was busy dressing up Rere, smiled ever so brightly, too. With the help of May and the other maids, I was finally able to put on my dress, which glistened everytime it was exposed to light. Then, when I looked at my figure in the mirror, I was filled with astonishment yet again ¡°Now, we¡¯ll be adorning you with a necklace and a ring. As for our miss, we¡¯ll adorn her with a tiara embellished with blue jewels later.¡± ¡°Was the jeweller aware of the dresses¡¯ color beforehand?¡± ¡°No. These are the ones from Madame Cecilia.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°To satisfy you, Adazelle Salon went as far as to work together with a jewelry store to create accessories to match with your outfits. What¡¯s more, seeing as Madame Cecilia even sent the store the jewels embellished in these accessories, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that she was very determined to meet your standards. And as I see it, she didn¡¯t disappoint at all as these accessories go well with the dress.¡± ¡°Indeed. Although the dress is on another level, the accessories used to complete the outfit are one of a kind as well.¡± My first impression of her wasn¡¯t the best because she mistook my tastes for that of Astra¡¯s. But if she puts her mind into it, I can say that she is capable of creating splendid outfits. After a while, Rere finished putting on her dress, too. Then, she twirled in delight and asked. ¡°Big Bunny. Am I pretty?¡± ¡°Yes! Very pretty. So much so that I thought you were an angel sent from heaven for a second.¡± ¡°Hmph. I don¡¯t like exaggerated compliments! But, Big Bunny¡­.. You¡¯re so pretty!¡± I wonder if Rere realized how cute she looked¡­ As I looked at Rere, I felt the urge to let the world know how lovely and pretty my Rere is. ¡°You¡¯re both so beautiful! Surely, no one can deny that you two are mother and daughter.¡± Rere only shrugged at the nanny¡¯s words. Thereafter, she put on her tiara and shoes by herself, and raised her head. ¡°Hold my hand. I¡¯ll escort my Big Bunny who¡¯s trembling so much.¡± ¡°Will Rere do that for me?¡± ¡°Yes! After all, we are the stars today!¡± And so, I held the child¡¯s hand that was adorned with a pretty flower bracelet. ¡°My hands were shaking a lot just now, but I feel better because I¡¯m holding Rere¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°But, Rere.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Why is your hand shaking so much?¡± I thought there was an earthquake. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Then shall I let go of your hand?¡± ¡°No. Why are you trying to prove it! That kind of person is not attractive! Come on. How long are we going to stay here? Huft, it¡¯s hot.¡± Rere, who was busy fanning herself in embarrassment, began to drag me by the hand again. ¡°Come on!¡± But as soon as we got out of the dressing room, we stumbled upon a familiar person. ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± He wore a white uniform that did not match with our dresses. Somehow, he was a little taken aback upon seeing us, and looked at us alternately. ¡°What do you think, daddy? Isn¡¯t Big Bunny so pretty? ¡± ¡°¡­Indeed.¡± ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯re running late. We should get going.¡± ¡°Geez. Forget it, then.¡± The duke, who had been agonizing over what to say for a long time, breathed a sigh of relief only after Rere stopped pressuring him. Of course, Rere didn¡¯t stop at that, and added. ¡°Rere is so pitiful!!!¡± ¡°Wh-why must Rere be so pitiful!¡± Of course, the Duke was surprised. ¡°Daddy is so unattractive! How did such an unattractive uncle become my daddy?¡± ¡°Did you just call me uncle?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t call you grandfather, can I?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Amidst their bickering, Rere held my hand again, and pulled me towards her. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Rere, Leona¡¯s escort is me, though¡­¡± ¡°I will do it. Today, she¡¯s coming to the party as my mother. She¡¯s mine, so don¡¯t snatch her away, daddy.¡± Rere ignored the Duke, who looked dumbfounded and had an awkward smile on his face, and dragged me along with her. ¡°Rere¡­!¡± Despite the duke¡¯s wistful call, Rere continued to walk more vigorously than ever. Somehow, I felt less nervous when I held Rere¡¯s hand compared to when I held the Duke¡¯s arm. ¡°Big Bunny, are you nervous?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°This is what you should do when you¡¯re feeling nervous.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rere, who was a step ahead of me, turned around and spread out her arms. ¡°Do this!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You can hug Rere.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeees! Hug me. It works!¡± Hence, I hugged the child. Only then was I able to feel her trembling body. Her body was trembling so much. But even in this state, she pretended not to be nervous and comforted me instead. That¡¯s how kind Rere is. ¡°How is it? Does it work?¡± ¡°Yes! It works. I¡¯m not nervous anymore!¡± ¡°Hmm. In my opinion, I don¡¯t think simply holding hands is enough.¡± ¡°If we go to the banquet hall this way, your dress will most likely become a little bit wrinkled. Is that fine?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m fine with it! As long as Big Bunny is, too!¡± Then, Rere buried her head in my chest. ¡°I love hearing the sound of Big Bunny¡¯s heart. It goes badump, badump.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! I particularly love hearing it because it¡¯s like it¡¯s telling me that my mom is alive.¡± ¡°I love it, too.¡± ¡°So, you must not go anywhere. You should always stay by my side, okay?¡± If you wish for it so much, I will say it over and over again. I love you. Hence, I will always be there for you. Meanwhile, the Duke, who went ahead of us, stopped in front of the hall. In comparison to what one would expect, there were more servants situated by the door. ¡°Open the door.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At his command, both doors opened wide as if they had been waiting. The first thing that came into my sight was a chandelier from afar. And, since what welcomed us was only the entrance to the hall on the second floor, we weren¡¯t able to see any of the guests yet. ¡°Give me the child.¡± ¡°No. Rere needs to calm Big Bunny.¡± ¡°But if you continue to stay in that position¡­¡± At that time, Luca, who was behind the Duke, naturally approached Rere. ¡°If you continue to stay in that position, those who came today won¡¯t be able to have a proper view of Ms. Leona.¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you want everyone to know that Ms. Leona is the Duchess and Miss Rebecca¡¯s mother? For that to happen, you have to let them see the Duchess at her most beautiful appearance. But, if you insist to be held by Ms. Leona, people won¡¯t be able to have a proper look at her no matter how beautiful she is.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°How about holding Ms. Leona¡¯s hand instead while you¡¯re in His Excellency¡¯s arms?¡± Then, as if she was convinced by Luca¡¯s words, Rere reached out to the duke. ¡°Luca is right. Daddy, hug me!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The duke, who looked a bit taken aback by Rere¡¯s refusal earlier, held Rere in his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Hold my hand, Big Bunny.¡± The Duke and Rere reached out to me at the same time. After pondering for a while, I took Rere¡¯s hand. So, the Duke, who was dumbfounded by my actions, sighed deeply and began to walk towards the hall. As we approached the hall, I noticed that it was filled with music, as if it were waiting for us. ¡°Duke Ian Petri, Duchess Leona Petri, and Princess Rebecca Petri have arrived.¡± People¡¯s chatter disappeared in an instant. Only after I took a few steps inside was I able to see the venue completely. A scene that could only be seen in a movie unfolded before my eyes. With the help of Luca, I was the one who invited the guests to the party, but compared to what I initially thought, the guests present here seemed to be much bigger in number. What¡¯s more, everyone was wearing fancy outfits and accessories. So, perhaps because I was overwhelmed, my hands began to tremble even more. But, as if he was used to it, the Duke calmly began talking. ¡°Today, I¡¯m here to introduce the new Duchess, Leona Petri.¡± Those who bowed in our presence slowly raised their heads. He closed his mouth after one sentence. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because he had nothing else to say, or because it¡¯s how it was normally supposed to be done. What am I supposed to do? Do I have to wave my hand? But at that time¡­. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± ¡°Luca.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous. Think of this as a radish field. You don¡¯t have to be nervous in front of radishes, do you?¡± My nervousness, which caused me to tremble like crazy, slightly subsided thanks to his sweet voice. ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡± Even though the Duke was standing next to me, I asked Luca instead. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything but smile.¡± At his words, I awkwardly smiled. Thereafter, the people who were staring at me began to move about again. It was almost as if they were waiting for my reaction. As soon as he noticed the slight change in the reaction of the people, Duke Ian opened his mouth again. ¡°Everyone, please enjoy the party.¡± His words marked the start of the party. The calm music changed to that of a music that reminds one of spring in an instant. At the soft and bubbly music, people started to relax themselves again. ¡°Now that we¡¯re done with our greetings, let¡¯s go down. I want to dance with Big Bunny!¡± Meanwhile, Rere, who freed herself from the Duke¡¯s arms, reached out to me. ¡°But, Mom is not good at dancing, Rere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I just want to dance with my mom. Since I¡¯ve never been able to do so before¡­¡± Having heard the cute little girl¡¯s earnest wish, I immediately took her hand. ¡°Of course! Let¡¯s go!¡± But, as soon as we reached the end of the stairs, a man we didn¡¯t want to see stopped us. ¡°Hoho. We finally have the chance to talk. New Duchess and Princess Rebecca.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 56 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 56 ¡°Ah, I guess that must be how nobles greet each other.¡± I smiled courteously at the man who approached us with a distasteful expression. ¡°Hoho. What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°As you¡¯ve already heard and seen, I¡¯m someone with a humble background. But at least I know how to adhere to basic manners in my actions.¡± What is this woman saying? At her words, sheer displeasure came out from an old man named Felipe. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand what the new duchess is saying just now.¡± ¡°Is that so? Even a child can understand it easily¡­¡± I opened my eyes wide to exaggerate my surprise. So it¡¯s you! The bastard who bullied my daughter! I won¡¯t let you off the hook easily! I¡¯m going to tear you to pieces! ¡°I¡¯m asking you to greet me properly. How do you think people will regard the Duke of Petri, if you, a close relative of the duke, talks in this manner? Felipe.¡± His arrogant face, as well as the other vassals in the hall, instantly stiffened. The more their faces become crumpled, the more confident I become. ¡°Hoho. We barely have a chance to talk, new duchess. Which reminds me, Princess Rebecca. Don¡¯t you think you need to fix your manner of speaking? You don¡¯t seem to know how to compared to the new duchess.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me the new duchess. It¡¯s Duchess Leona Petri. In addition, please address Princess Rebecca with respect. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re refusing to do so just because you¡¯re older?¡± And so, I lifted Rere and held her in my arms. As expected, the vassals were on their way toward us to meddle in our conversation. I believe some of them were the duke¡¯s close relatives. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know because you¡¯ve just become the duchess. Do you know who you are talking to!¡± ¡°I know, but who are you to join our conversation?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me. I don¡¯t even want to know.¡± My heart went crazy. I know I wasn¡¯t acting like myself. But I won¡¯t back down after all they¡¯ve done to Rere. Because I¡¯m strong. ¡°What an incredible person. Hoho. I¡¯m sorry for being rude to the Duchess.¡± Only then did he bow down and greet me properly. ¡°I¡¯m Felipe Raffle. The Marquis of Raffle. I¡¯m sorry for not greeting you properly. I am the closest relative of Duke Ian Petri.¡± ¡°I see. But you¡¯re not the ¡®closest¡¯ as you claimed to be. Princess Rebecca is the one who is the closest relative of Duke Ian Petri.¡± There was no reason to show kindness to someone who was secretly looking down at Rere. Having said this, people would think that the new duchess has a vicious personality, and to prove that, Felipe and the people behind him had an unpleasant expression on their faces. In particular, there was an apparent hostility in the eyes of Felipe¡¯s son. He was clearly looking at me with resentment. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree?¡± So, I asked him again. ¡°Haha. That¡¯s right. I know Princess Rebecca is here, too. I think I made a slip of tongue, I apologize for that.¡± He gave in more easily than expected and bowed his head. I wasn¡¯t sure if he did so because he simply didn¡¯t want to prolong this childish argument or if it¡¯s because he had other tricks up his sleeve. ¡°That¡¯s a relief, I was afraid you might have a different opinion.¡± ¡°No way. I know my place. Isn¡¯t it a given that people should know their place?¡± It was obvious that those words were directed to me. ¡°That¡¯s right. One should know their place. That being said, I hope you and the other vassals can live according to that principle.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, right. I believe that not too long ago, the Duke clearly said that Princess Rebecca is his daughter, and anyone who spreads lies about her birth will¡­.have their tongue cut or something along those lines?¡± I patted Rere on the back as I said that. ¡°As the mother of Princess Rebecca, I will make sure anyone who speaks ill of my daughter never sees the light nor uses their mouth lightly ever again.¡± ¡°Haha, we will never do something like that.¡± Felipe spoke on behalf of everyone this time. ¡°Be careful. The Duke may think highly of you as his close relative, but I have no obligation to do that. If you hurt my Rere, I won¡¯t let you off the hook easily. Then, can you excuse us? We want to enjoy the party.¡± I just passed by Felipe and his son nonchalantly. I had no reason to look good in front of them. ¡®It¡¯s not like I can get along with them in the first place.¡¯ Because Felipe, who was considered the head of the vassals, had already expressed his hostility toward us. Rere, who was looking at the vassals behind, smiled and turned her head. ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Felipe looks like he just ate poop!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The child¡¯s voice was livelier than ever. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°My mom is the best!¡± ¡°Do you think so?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± The child¡¯s hands, which were always trembling every time she talked to Felipe, have finally calmed down. What¡¯s more, the child¡¯s eyes were even sparkling brightly this time. ¡°But I still don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Why? Should I have insulted him more?¡± ¡°No! I was going to avenge my mom!¡± Rere clenched her small fist as she said that. At the sight, I rubbed my cheek against hers because she was too adorable. ¡°If that¡¯s so, Rere should avenge me next time!¡± ¡°Hmph! You don¡¯t have to tell me. I¡¯ll be sure to do that next time!¡± And then, a small voice tickled my ears. ¡°Thank you, though.¡± ¡°Did you say thank you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Do you really mean it?¡± ¡°Uhm, so¡­where¡¯s my Ugly¡­!¡± Rere urgently looked for the rabbit doll that she clearly didn¡¯t bring with her. Which made Rere, who had never thanked anyone ever since she was born, blush more than ever. ¡°Anyways¡­! I didn¡¯t say thank you!¡± Rere, with her puffed cheeks, wriggled in Leona¡¯s arms. ¡°Put me down!¡± ¡°Hm? But will you be fine? There¡¯s a lot of bad people around us.¡± ¡°Yup! Because mom is next to me!¡± As soon as she got off of my arms, the child held my hand. ¡°This song is being played just for us! We are the main characters here! Let¡¯s dance!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never danced before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay! Me neither!¡± Rere was brimming with confidence. She smiled brightly and twirled her body as if she had no worries even amidst the piercing gazes of the vassals. The calm music that filled the hall turned into a waltz that made you want to move your body lightly. Rere and I faced each other, and everyone gave us space to dance. They all danced properly, but we were just dancing on our own rhythm. Just like people who couldn¡¯t dance, we were more focused on looking at each other as we twirled around. Nevertheless, we weren¡¯t embarrassed because of that fact. ¡®Because this is our world. We are the main characters here.¡¯ We¡¯ve been spinning and twirling as if today is the happiest day of our lives. What¡¯s more, Rere¡¯s face was brimming with happiness. ¡°This is great!¡± At some point, the people in the hall stopped dancing. Their eyes were directed at us. Anyone could tell that we were dancing weirdly. I could even hear their whispers. What kind of dance is that? Why would anyone dance with such bad manners? But who cares about manners anyway? ¡°Hihi. Mom, you¡¯re having fun, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m so happy to dance with Rere.¡± ¡°Rere, too!¡± After some time, the music gradually came to an end. Just because we danced freely, it doesn¡¯t mean that the music won¡¯t end. As the dance came to an end, everybody greeted their partner with a slight bow. And when it happened, we just awkwardly stood there. As I stared at Rere awkwardly, she quickly hugged me. ¡°Hihi. I¡¯m so happy.¡± ¡°Even when people are looking at us as if we were strange?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so important about people¡¯s gazes? Mom is a fool. We¡¯re the main characters here!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s settled, let¡¯s go over there and eat a couple of snacks. There is so much delicious food!¡± Rere¡¯s little hand held mine again. ¡°What¡¯s so special about it?¡± ¡°A five-tier cake! I heard the chef worked really hard on it! I can¡¯t wait to eat it!¡± Rere, who smiled so brightly to the point it seemed as if her cheeks were about to burst, led me to a place. Meanwhile, countless people, whose names I didn¡¯t even know of, gathered as if they were trying to keep an eye on us. Even so, they didn¡¯t even try to initiate a conversation with us. Most of them were just looking at us while pretending to talk among themselves. We arrived in front of a five-tier cake. But many children have already surrounded the cake. In particular, there were many little lords and young ladies in front of it. They came with their parents, but it seemed like the children also had their own gathering place and hierarchy. Among them, I saw Jayna Nedira and Lily Cuffs. Princess Lily Cuffs of Cuffs Dukedom. Even in other parties, that child would take the top spot and lead the rest of the children. ¡°Rere, let¡¯s go somewhere else¡­¡± It didn¡¯t end very nicely last time, so I couldn¡¯t help but be bothered by their presence. For that reason, I held Rere¡¯s hand to take her away from them. ¡°I called them all here on purpose! I want to tell them that I have a mom, too! You guys are not the only ones with a mom! I¡¯m going to say that!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 57 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 57 The child straightened her posture confidently as she boldly made her way through the crowd. However, the children of the nobles were busy whispering among themselves. Rere approached those children, stood in front of them, and quietly glanced at each of them. ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± The whispering stopped at once. In the meantime, the children gathered among themselves. ¡°You guys. Aren¡¯t you going to greet me?¡± ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t allow us to greet you last time.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then greet me today.¡± Lily, who was still invited even after the incident she caused last time, made eye contact with the other young ladies and came closer to Rere. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Princess Rebecca.¡± ¡°Okay. How about the rest of you? Aren¡¯t you going to greet me?¡± Only then did the other children who were hesitating at first started to introduce themselves one by one. Not long after, the parents of those children also slowly gathered around us. Of course, they never spoke up. By the time 10 people had finished delivering their greetings, Rere yawned as if she was bored. ¡°Ha. I¡¯m sick of it. Stop greeting me.¡± ¡°Ah¡­yes.¡± An unnamed young lady, who bowed her head, paused and looked at her with a bewildered expression. ¡°Do you know how worried I was?¡± Everybody was confused about how to react to Rere¡¯s abrupt remark. ¡°I was worried that you guys, who were gossiping about my birth because I don¡¯t have a mother, won¡¯t come. I was so worried.¡± Only then did I realize something about these kids. Of course, there are those who attended with their parents, but it seems there are a lot of kids present here who have bullied Rere before such as Jayna Nadira and Lily Cuffs. The kids couldn¡¯t even make eye contact with Rere. Because of that, the parents who sensed something was off looked at me scornfully. Their gazes pierced me as if telling me to sort out the situation. They couldn¡¯t tell me their thoughts directly because I¡¯m the duchess and the host of this party, but their gazes were as fierce as a lion¡¯s. ¡°Why are you avoiding my eyes? You¡¯re not going to use a lousy excuse such as, ¡®I forgot¡¯, are you? At that time, Lily Cuffs stepped up to speak on behalf of the terrified children. She seemed to think that she was a match for Rere since both of them are princesses. ¡°Princess, I think I¡¯ve apologized enough for that last time. That was¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that was an apology, though?¡± ¡°Pardon¡­? B-But¡­¡± ¡°At that time, I just told you to get lost. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve received a proper apology.¡± Good job, Rere! I patted Rere¡¯s shoulder gently as I watched the people around us freeze. Now that Rere has shed light on what the children have done, their parents must be very nervous right now. ¡°Tell me. Was that enough to be called an apology? It¡¯s easy to bully a person, but apologizing to someone shouldn¡¯t be so easy. You hear me?¡± What else can I say? I don¡¯t find a single fault in Rere¡¯s words. ¡°Well, you might think it¡¯s not a big deal because you guys are the preparators, but I¡¯m the victim here.¡± ¡°¡­Princess. What can we do to lessen your anger? I thought you weren¡¯t angry anymore since you invited us here today. And because you invited us, I thought you wanted to get along with us¡­.. That¡¯s why please don¡¯t be angry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what the preparators are supposed to say, is it?¡± That¡¯s my child! At this point, Rere must have lived for 50 years instead of 5 for how mature she¡¯s handling this situation. She spoke better than I would¡¯ve. Rere smiled as she made eye contact with each of them. ¡°But it¡¯s not your fault.¡± The atmosphere changed in an instant. A number of kids breathed a sigh of relief as they were under the impression that this stifling situation had finally come to an end. But my Rere wouldn¡¯t just stop there. ¡°Because that¡¯s what your parents taught you. They taught you to not let others hurt you, and to make yourself shine more by dragging others down.¡± I was at a loss because Rere took the words out of my mouth. She throws a tantrum everyday, so I didn¡¯t realize how clever she actually was. ¡°Because of dumb parents like them, their child behaves this way!¡± Tsk. Rere scoured the surrounding area with an annoyed expression. ¡°Princess! You¡¯re going too far. How can you disrespect us in such a way! This little princess speaks so rudely!¡± Eventually, one of the nobles couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and chipped in. Then she naturally stood behind Lily Cuffs. She was probably the Duchess of Cuffs. Since a grown-up finally intervened in a children¡¯s fight, I decided to do the same. ¡°Who are you to interrupt the children¡¯s conversation?¡± ¡°¡­This is the first time I¡¯m formally greeting you. I¡¯m Ezryn Cuffs from the Cuffs Dukedom, Duchess Petri.¡± ¡°Oh my god, you must be Duchess Cuffs then? I¡¯m sorry, I thought only someone from an insignificant family would dare to meddle in a conversation between children. But to think you are part of the family who became the pillar of the empire is shocking.¡± ¡°Do you only see this as a friendly conversation between children?¡± ¡°Yes, it looks like a very cute conversation between children to me.¡± ¡°This is¡­! This is a family matter!¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± I decided to watch Rere at a close distance because it seemed to me that she was able to relieve her stress by personally getting back on these kids, but I suppose I¡¯m grateful that this person spoke up as well. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I also have something to say. It¡¯s a matter that could be easily overlooked if we consider it as a fight between children, but let¡¯s not forget that Princess Lily Cuffs said something horrible to my daughter last time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡°At that time, I assumed that it was just a fight between children so I wanted to let it slide, but if you truly mean what you said earlier, then I will also take what happened last time seriously.¡± The Duchess, who was about to retort, bit her lips. ¡°I told you so! My mommy and daddy are good at teaching dumb people a lesson. Just look at my mom!¡± Then, the atmosphere suddenly changed. The people around us realized that the situation had turned worse for them. ¡°Pa-pardon? Just now¡­ That was a mistake¡­¡± She even started to stutter. ¡°Ha. What a hopeless fool. Raise your kids properly from now on. I¡¯ll forgive you just this once.¡± ¡°¡­Re-really?¡± Lily, who was staring at the floor the entire time, finally raised her head. The Duke must have done something to her. No one in their right mind would come here willingly after what happened that day. Even if Rere invited her. However, they are still children. It¡¯s normal for them to whine to their parents that they don¡¯t want to come, yet all the children who are on bad terms with Rere were here. The children¡¯s expressions were exactly the same as each other¡¯s. They seemed to be relieved that Rere finally forgave them. ¡°In return. You guys laughed at me because I didn¡¯t have a mom, right? Apologize for that.¡± ¡°..But, why?¡± ¡°Why?! I have a mom now. You guys are mocking me and spreading lies about me. Apologize properly for that!¡± At this point in time, many people have already surrounded us, and this made the children even more anxious. There were children who were anxious about their parents finding out and children whose faces were red as if they were caught red handed. ¡°You don¡¯t think I told my daddy everything you said to me, do you?¡± Rere looked happier than ever. ¡°Do you remember the content of the letters I sent you?¡± So the Duke didn¡¯t do anything, it was Rere all along. ¡°I¡¯m not a blabbermouth in the first place, but I can be one if you want. If you don¡¯t apologize to my mom right away¡­I¡¯ll tell my daddy everything. Urk, my mouth is so itchy. Daddy!!¡¯ Without hesitation, Rere turned around and waved her hand to where the Duke was. Then the Duke, who had been watching us close by, quickly approached us. Meanwhile, the children, who had been at a loss of what to do, rushed to me and bowed their heads. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please¡­please stop the princess. I¡¯ll apologize as much as I can, so please¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Duchess.¡± It wasn¡¯t just one or two of them who did so. Before I knew it, the children had already rushed to me. ¡°No, I¡¯m¡­¡± At that time, Rere stretched out her arms wide, as if she wanted to be hugged. Because of that, I managed to escape from the children and held her in my arms. ¡°I¡¯m satisfied now.¡± ¡°Did you want them to apologize to me?¡± ¡°Yes! How dare those ugly people speak ill of my mom. That¡¯s why I have to make them apologize properly this time. They won¡¯t be able to look down at our big bunny ever again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡­¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I invited them. I don¡¯t even want to see them, hihi. I wrote down everything they said to me in the letter.¡± I rubbed my cheek against the child¡¯s cheek. So she did this for my sake. I thought it was just another tantrum of hers, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Rather, Rere had to remember all the hurtful things they said to her just to avenge me. It must¡¯ve been tough. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I know!¡± ¡°You know?¡± ¡°Yes! Because I love you too! That¡¯s why I know!¡± ¡ª ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 58 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 58 Rere closed her eyelids as she smiled ever so brightly. She was oozing with confidence. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, mom. Don¡¯t forgive them so easily just because they apologized. Especially those kids. You can¡¯t just leave them alone for what they did.¡± Rere pointed her finger at Jayna Nedira and Lily Cuffs. Rather than not wanting to apologize, they seemed hesitant and unaware of what to do. Especially Lily. It was obvious that she couldn¡¯t apologize because Duchess Cuffs was behind her. Meanwhile, Duchess Cuffs grasped her daughter¡¯s shoulders with her long nails. As might be expected, Lily¡¯s face became tense in fear. Since Lily did not apologize, the other children who are on Lily¡¯s side including Jayna couldn¡¯t apologize either and just quietly mumbled to themselves. ¡°Okay, so what do we do now? What do you think, Rere? Should we accept their apologies?¡± I silently took a glance at them and exchanged gazes with Rere. ¡°Ah! I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve finally come to their senses now. Even more so since I wrote down everything they¡¯ve done and said to me in detail. And so, I believe they have already been punished enough for moving their mouths lightly!¡± ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll forgive them.¡± It¡¯s not my hobby to bully a child, so I nodded my head to the children with a benevolent smile. ¡°I forgive all of you.¡± ¡°Do you really forgive us, duchess?¡± ¡°I hope you know the weight of your words from here on.¡± ¡°Yes! I-I will never say that again, princess. And duchess¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. You may excuse yourself.¡± The crowd of children smiled with relief. At the same time, they did not forget to apologize over and over, fearing that Rere might miss it. ¡°Thank you. Thank you very much.¡± I¡¯m surprised there are more than two children who apologized for offending Rere. Just how many times did the Duke make the mistake of shoving these children to Rere so that they could be friends with her? The Duke never fails to amaze me. The children kept on apologizing after realizing their mistakes, and the tense atmosphere gradually diminished. Seeing that, Lily tried to grab this opportunity to apologize. ¡°Mother, please let go of me now. I want to apologize.¡± ¡°What have you done so wrong that you need to apologize?¡± ¡°What I did back then was wrong¡­!¡± ¡°Duke Petri has already criticized us enough! I already apologized to Duke Petri for not teaching my children properly, so what is there to apologize again? Just stay still!¡± ¡°Mother!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before?! You must always take the upper hand in every situation. Gosh, I can¡¯t believe you made me raise my voice in a place like this. This is so embarrassing! Do you want to keep embarrassing me like this?¡± ¡°Mother.¡± The way Lily acted right now is quite different from what we had seen in the past. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any pride? You¡¯re also a princess, so why are you so restless in front of them?¡± ¡°I said something rude last time! I-I said¡­.. About the princess¡¯ birth¡­.I said something I shouldn¡¯t have said¡­¡± While Princess Lily was struggling to say what she wanted to, Duke Ian Petri began to approach us. He then tapped my shoulder as if to announce his presence. ¡°I believe Rere called me earlier, did she not?¡± ¡°Yes, daddy. I called you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Alright. As of this moment, I will start to act like a child.¡± The children, who stood at a far distance from us after delivering their apologies, held their breath at Rere¡¯s sudden remark. ¡°Daddy. The Emperor had acknowledged me as a descendant of Duke Petri, right?¡± ¡°Of course. There is no doubt about it.¡± ¡°Does that mean those who said I¡¯m a fake princess opposed the Emperor¡¯s words? Does that mean they are bad kids?¡± ¡°Who dares to say that!¡± ¡°Answer me! Am I right?¡± ¡°Of course. Neither the Emperor nor I will let them get away. Since that¡¯s an act of defamation.¡± Rere pointed her finger at Lily as if she had waited for it. ¡°Do you remember her? I told you to not scold her excessively, right?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I spoke to them reasonably.¡± I presume Ian and Rere had a conversation about the incident while I was kicked out of the mansion. ¡®As soon as Jayna Nedira and Lily Cuffs went back that day, Rere must¡¯ve gone to the Duke and rattled on about what they had done, but it¡¯s too strange for Rere to not cause an uproar¡­¡¯ Is it because she was preparing for this moment? They probably accepted Rere¡¯s invitation because they didn¡¯t get punished even after they bullied her. As if she had made up her mind, Rere began to rat on them with a wide smile on her face. ¡°Okay. Now scold them. They regarded the Emperor¡¯s words as lies!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I was going to forgive them if they apologized this time, but they refused to apologize until the end.¡± ¡°Pr-princess!¡± Ian directed his gaze toward them slowly as if he were a predator looking at its prey. ¡°What? Why are you screaming?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. But it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to apologize¡­!¡± At that time, Duchess Cuffs, who had been holding Lily¡¯s shoulders tightly, suddenly let her go. ¡°Ack, mother!¡± ¡°You have to apologize properly. Did I teach you to act in such a way?¡± At times like this, it¡¯s only natural for a mother to protect her daughter, but Duchess Cuffs focused her gaze at someone with her eyes widened instead. At first, I thought she was looking at Duke Ian Petri, but her eyes were focused elsewhere at a distance farther from where the Duke stood. And so, I followed her gaze that was on a blond, golden-eyed man who looked just like Princess Lily Cuffs. He looked at us with an irritated look on his face. He must be Duke Cuffs, Lily Cuffs¡¯ father, judging from his appearance. To make matters worse, perhaps because he couldn¡¯t care less for his daughter¡¯s well-being, he only continued to stand and watch the scene unfold at a distance. As if to prove it, Duchess Cuffs began to say words that were the complete opposite of what she said earlier. Her words made it seem as if her daughter was stubborn and didn¡¯t want to apologize. At that moment, Lily Cuffs, who felt wronged, made eye contact with me. The child¡¯s eyes looked somewhat frightened. Because of that, it looked as though the Lily I saw today was a different person from what we had seen before. ¡°That child is the one who bullied you, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°No¡­Your Excellency, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Even when she started to apologize earnestly, Duchess Cuffs grabbed her daughter¡¯s head and forcibly shoved it down as if she had been waiting for this moment. ¡°My daughter has been causing trouble to the Duke¡­¡± Why is she doing that? Does she think of her daughter as a tool? ¡°Rere,¡± I couldn¡¯t stand such inhuman behavior, so I called Rere. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I can decide whether or not I¡¯d forgive her, right?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll forgive Princess Lily Cuffs.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I saw her eyes.¡± After hearing my reply, Rere puffed up her cheeks as if she didn¡¯t notice the fear in her eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t I do that? Hmm, Rere?¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t! Unless she apologizes to mom first!¡± ¡°Princess Lily Cuffs, are you going to apologize to me now?¡± Since that¡¯s what Rere wants, I looked at the Lily Cuffs and asked her. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m really, really sorry. I made a huge mistake toward the Duchess and the Princess. I will never let that happen again.¡± Lily bowed her head even lower than when her mother forced her to bow, which, alone, is proof that she apologized with utmost sincerity. ¡°This should be enough, right?¡± ¡°Yes! My mom has forgiven her, so daddy doesn¡¯t need to step up anymore.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°This is our business!¡± ¡°¡­.Are you leaving me out again?¡± ¡°Yes! I don¡¯t need my stupid daddy to butt in!¡± ¡°Rere¡­.¡± Rere shook her head, ignoring his sorrowful voice. Then, she directed her gaze to Lily. ¡°Don¡¯t ever talk nonsense to me again, okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lily, who had been so dispirited not too long ago, nodded more keenly than ever. ¡°I¡¯m relieved. I was worried that my daughter was inconveniencing everyone during the Duchess¡¯ Party¡­¡± People who treat their children as though they are tools. I refuse to think of someone like that as a parent. At the same time, it made me wonder if there were parents such as Ian Petri and Duchess Cuffs in this world. Even just the thought of it made me frustrated. ¡°Yes. Fortunately, Princess Lily hasn¡¯t caused that much trouble.¡± Suddenly, Duchess Cuffs looked like an impressive woman. Her hair fluttered gently as she lowered her eyelids, and a kind smile bloomed on her face. On the outside, she was the embodiment of a perfect Duchess. For that reason, it¡¯s possible for the others in the room to view her positively. But not me. ¡°Once again, I sincerely congratulate you, and I will make sure to teach my daughter¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just get away with those words. Princess Lily didn¡¯t cause me any trouble, but you did cause me enough trouble.¡± At my words, Duchess Cuffs¡¯ face stiffened. ¡°What do you mean by trouble¡­haha.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just make a big fuss earlier, saying that it¡¯s not a conversation between children, but a family matter?¡± ¡°Hoho. I thought that conversation had ended.¡± ¡°Ended? You were the one who didn¡¯t allow Princess Lily to apologize for the trouble that she caused herself, weren¡¯t you?¡± How can you call yourself a parent? I¡¯m sure Rere¡¯s past mothers all had behaviors that are similar to hers. ¡°I think Duchess Cuffs should be the one to apologize for making a fuss, and the one who should be taught a lesson.¡± ¡ª ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 59 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 59 At this point, the other noblewomen who were close to Duchess Cuffs should¡¯ve stepped up and put an end to this situation, but they were only quietly watching the situation unfold. As if they thought that it won¡¯t do them any good to step up at this moment. Because of that, Duchess Cuffs¡¯ eyes wandered aimlessly as if asking for someone to help her. ¡°Do you have anything left to say, Duchess Cuffs?¡± I gave her another chance. Only then did she come to her senses, awkwardly shaking her head and lowering her gaze. ¡°I apologize for making a scene at Duchess Petri¡¯s party. I¡¯d like to invite you to my tea party, and give you a proper apology.¡± She didn¡¯t hold out any longer than I thought. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. Additionally, Duchess Cuffs is not the only one who needs to reflect on herself.¡± I looked at the people around me who were busy whispering among themselves. ¡°Everyone here is the same. Children are the reflection of their parents. They learn exactly what their parents do.¡± Their whispering got worse. ¡°So get a hold of yourself. From what I see, all of you are the same.¡± The room was then enshrouded by sudden silence. After spitting out everything I wanted to say to them, I made up my mind. ¡®I¡¯ll never appear in high society again.¡¯ Today, I was able to make a fuss under the name of ¡®Duchess Petri¡¯, but I won¡¯t do that ever again. If I acted in such a way somewhere else, I might have already been buried alive without anyone knowing. My heart was still beating like crazy, but I smiled as if it didn¡¯t affect me. ¡°Then shall we put an end to this matter? This is starting to feel as though I¡¯m picking on one person, isn¡¯t that so?¡± I¡¯ve said this much, so they should¡¯ve understood, right? Duke Ian Petri approached us, but it wasn¡¯t just him who did so as the people who were originally busy talking to him also approached Rere and I. ¡°I see. What a funny sight. How dare you do this at my wife¡¯s party¡­¡± His sharp eyes examined the surroundings. Perhaps because everyone realized how grave the situation was, they took small steps backwards with signs of hesitation. Rere, who also noticed the suffocating situation, waved her hand. ¡°Everyone, disperse now! Disperse! Shoo, shoo!¡± I thought she would tell everyone to get lost or curse at them, but Rere was quite polite this time. Nevertheless, there was a man who did not leave. ¡°¡­Daddy?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you leaving, too?¡± ¡°Ahem. Well, I do believe I¡¯m done with my business, so now I¡¯ll spend the rest of my time with my family¡­¡± ¡°What family are you talking about! Today is a day I must spend with mom!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any room left for daddy?¡± ¡°Yes! Daddy! Get lo¡ªNo, disperse!¡± The child, who was about to say ¡®get lost¡¯, changed her words and smiled ever so brightly. She was so cute that I couldn¡¯t help but rub my cheek against the child¡¯s. ¡°Right, mom?¡± ¡°Yes! Let us be alone for today.¡± ¡°Yesterday, the day before, and a week ago. It has always been only the two of you. When the hell can I join?¡± ¡°¡­.I suppose only when Rere¡¯s heart allows you to join¡­? In any case, you should understand because today is a special one.¡± The more this man became obsessed about spending time with the two of us and did not back down, the more Rere became stubborn. ¡°Mom! Let¡¯s go eat cake now.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Meanwhile, Rere, who slipped out of my arms, naturally held my hand. Rere¡¯s hands surprisingly felt so plump and soft every time it held mine. As if she didn¡¯t want to let go of my hand, she grabbed my hand tightly as we walked forward. As we were on our way to eat cake, Rere slightly pushed the Duke who was blocking our path. ¡°Re-Rere, did you just push daddy away?!¡± ¡°Yes! I pushed you. Go away. I want to eat cake, but you¡¯re in the way!¡± The Duke¡¯s eyes shook as if the sky had collapsed. He weakly raised his fingers towards Rere as if to reach out to her, but Rere had already taken her eyes off him. ¡°Rere¡­.¡± As if she didn¡¯t hear his sorrowful voice, Rere excitedly strode towards the cake. ¡°Cake, cake!¡± Before I knew it, Luca was already standing by his side. Duke Ian Petri, who was hit by despair, seemed to have made up his mind to do something, and walked away. Meanwhile, not a single soul has touched the delicious cake, perhaps wanting to save their honor. The chef must have worked so hard to make this 5 tier cake. It looked so delicious, and it¡¯s exactly because of that, I felt full just by looking at it. ¡°Cake, cake.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re eating well, but don¡¯t eat too much. You¡¯ll end up having a stomachache.¡± ¡°Yup! For that reason, let¡¯s divide it. I¡¯ll eat the bottom three layers. Mom, you eat the two layers on top! Hehe.¡± I also walked towards the cake excitedly at the sight of Rere grinning from ear to ear. The chef, who was waiting for someone to eat his cake with a gloomy face, looked at us. There was a knife and a number of plates arranged neatly on the table, but he looked pretty upset because no one came. ¡°Madam¡­Miss¡­¡± Rere confidently pointed at him, who had a tearful face. ¡°Give me the cake!¡± ¡°Re-really?! You¡¯re the first one who showed interest in the cake!¡± ¡°They¡¯re all idiots. They don¡¯t even know how good my chef is at cooking. So, hurry up and give it to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so happy. Since you always tell me that I¡¯m bad at cooking¡­.¡± ¡°When did I ever say that! The chef is a weirdo! I never said you¡¯re bad at cooking. Give it to me! Quickly!¡± The chef, who was busy wiping his tears, eventually placed a slice of the cake on one of the plates. ¡°This is for you!¡± ¡°Mom, you eat it first!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! Look at how skinny you are. Eat a lot, and get fat. That way, I¡¯d be able to eat Big Bunny.¡± ¡°A-Are you going to eat me?¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to feed you until you¡¯re fat. What¡¯s more, Mom¡¯s cheeks don¡¯t feel good when you rub it against mine.¡± My heart sank for a moment. ¡°Thank you. Rere, you should try the cake, too.¡± At her words, the cook hummed as he sliced a part of the cake and gave it to Rere. ¡°Thank you for the meal!¡± Rere ate a mouthful of the cake. ¡°It¡¯s really tasty. Go ahead and try it.¡± I put the cake in my mouth at the child¡¯s urging. The cake, which was so deliciously sweet, melted in my mouth with ease. Because of that, I had goosebumps all over my body for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s really tasty¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± At that time, a child, who had been looking at the delicious cake since earlier, ran toward us and reached out her hand. ¡°Give me one, too.¡± ¡°Sure, young lady.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure of which family this young lady came from, but the child, who ran happily, ate a small piece of the cake as soon as it came into her hands. ¡°It¡¯s really tasty!¡± At her exclamation, a number of children looked at the cake as if they wanted to eat a slice of it as well, but the children only looked at their parents as if waiting for approval. Still, among them, Lily was the fastest one to run towards us. ¡°Give me one, too!¡± Unlike the child¡¯s previous attitude, she extended her hand with a bright smile on her face as she asked for a slice of the cake. And so, almost immediately after, the children began to flock around her. Now that many people had come to eat the cake, the chef smiled happily, while Rere and I had no choice but to back off. ¡°I still want to eat more¡­!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s ask for a chocolate cake later, Rere.¡± ¡°I like chocolate cake!¡± Rere, who pouted as if it was regrettable, smiled happily at my reply and finished the cake in her hands. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now.¡± ¡°A-Already?¡± ¡°Yes! Since I¡¯ve eaten delicious cake, and scolded the bad guys already.¡± Looking happier than ever, Rere held my hand and shook it back and forth excitedly. But our suffering didn¡¯t end there. ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a long time.¡± It was Astra. She approached us without hesitation. Even though she came with Duke Arvida to the party, she boldly came to me alone. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a chunk of poop.¡± ¡°P-Poop¡­.. Ha.¡± ¡°Why are you here again?¡± ¡°I was invited, so I thought I¡¯d see you for a bit, but do you need to be so hostile towards me?¡± As if she were a completely different person, Astra spoke and behaved politely. But of course, she still spoke informally. ¡°Ah, did you invite her, Rere?¡± ¡°Yes! I invited her as well. This is great! Poop!¡± Rere pointed her finger to Astra. ¡°Where is my present?¡± ¡°¡­P-Present?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to congratulate me? You¡¯re supposed to give me a present. Don¡¯t tell me you came with a different purpose in mind?¡± Rere stared at her intently. ¡°No way. I¡¯m just here to deliver my father¡¯s message. More importantly, Arvida Dukedom still wants to maintain a good relationship with Petri Dukedom. That being the case, of course we¡¯ve prepared gifts.¡± As Astra raised her hand, a servant who was standing close by approached us with a large box in his hands. ¡°This is a gift from Arvida Dukedom. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like it because we chose it after careful thought.¡± ¡°Is it for me? Or for Duke Petri?¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving this to you because I want to get along with you, Duchess.¡± ¡°Aha. Something must have gone wrong with Duke Ian Petri. But what should I do? I don¡¯t want to accept gifts that aren¡¯t meant for me.¡± I shook my head with a warm smile. ¡°¡­.What? How dare you refuse my gift?¡± ¡°Of course. Since this gift is for me, I naturally have the right to refuse it, right? And how can you call this a gift when you chose to give it without consideration of the receiver¡¯s feelings? Take it back, Princess Astra.¡± ¡°¡­Ha. Are you sure you won¡¯t regret it?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m not entirely sure if you are supposed to give it to Duke Ian Petri, but even if that isn¡¯t the case, I will still refuse to accept it. With that said, Lady Astra, we are tired, so we¡¯ll take our leave first.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 60 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 60 I acted as though I was someone who feared nothing in this world. But since Astra was a very bad-tempered woman, I still had to be careful, especially when I turned my back on her. Even now, I could hear Astra¡¯s steps gradually become faster. For that reason, I was worried that she would grab my hair from behind. Since, after all, she had a crazy personality. ¡®But why are you pretending to be close to me?¡¯ In the meantime, my legs started to tremble, perhaps because I¡¯ve been running all over the place for a long time. In addition to that, I believe it¡¯s also because I was quite stressed by the aftermath of my actions today. But at that time, ¡°Mom, mom! Big Bunny¡­!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I didn¡¯t even hear the child calling out to me. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± ¡°Uh? No, nothing, Haha. I¡¯m sorry, Rere. Did I go too fast? Do you want me to carry you?¡± ¡°Yes! My legs hurt!¡± At her words, I quickly scanned the area. Fortunately, no one had followed me since then, including Astra. She just glared at me as I walked away. The reason as to why is most likely because she had been told to get along with me today without causing a disturbance. ¡°Come here.¡± Having collected my thoughts, I took Rere in my arms and quickly climbed the stairs. ¡°By the way, Rere. Can we just go back like this?¡± I was a little relieved when I arrived at a spot where I didn¡¯t have to worry even if someone came to pick a fight with me. ¡°Daddy will take care of it somehow.¡± ¡°Huh¡­? There must be something left I have to do, right?¡± ¡°I think he told me to go back after I¡¯m done playing¡­. Ahhh, I don¡¯t know. I just want to go back to my room with mom.¡± I looked down the stairs as I listened to Rere, and noticed that there were a lot of people looking up at us as if they were expecting to hear me say something. Despite their expectant gazes, I still left the banquet hall. As even at the mere thought of standing in front of them again, I trembled in anxiety. ¡°We¡¯ll prepare a bath for you right away as soon as we arrive at the room.¡± Although they could not attend the party, the nanny and the maids, who were waiting outside the door, followed us with a pleasant smile. ¡®Are you happy because the party ended well? Or is there a different reason?¡¯ While I was agonizing about why they were smiling so brightly to the point it was suspicious, we arrived in front of Rere¡¯s room. At the same time, Rere fell asleep in my arms, perhaps because she was too exhausted. ¡°Rere. Let¡¯s lie down on the bed and sleep. Change your clothes first.¡± ¡°Uhmm¡­But I don¡¯t want to take off my clothes.¡± Rere reluctantly pushed her eyelids up, rubbed her eyes, and yawned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s an outfit that matches mom¡¯s, I feel so happy about wearing it that I don¡¯t even want to take it off.¡± ¡°But it¡¯ll be uncomfortable for you to sleep like this¡­.¡± Almost immediately after I said those words, the door opened. I was thinking of going to the bathroom, taking off my clothes, and taking a bath, but I was rendered speechless by the sight in front of me instead. ¡°Th..This¡­.¡± Rere¡¯s sleepy gaze headed in the same direction as mine. ¡°Huh¡­¡± A man¡¯s baritone voice then greeted us. ¡°What are you zoning out for?¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have our portrait drawn. Because we don¡¯t have a family portrait.¡± ¡°But that portrait¡­¡± Okay. I understand the reason as to why you want artists to draw us a family portrait. Of course, I also understand, although I¡¯m more puzzled, the reason as to why you want to have our portrait drawn on a busy day such as today. I do understand, but¡­.. ¡°¡­Daddy, how many artists are here?¡± ¡°I¡¯d say about ten¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Why did you call for so many artists to draw us! On a day like this, too! I¡¯m so tired! Damn¡­.!¡± Rere wriggled in my arms again, so I had no choice but to put her down. Perhaps because her legs hurt, Rere, who had been standing in place while stretching her ankle, ran towards the Duke. The Duke hurriedly protected his leg, presuming that Rere would kick him again. But Rere ran past him and jumped onto the sofa. ¡°Daddy, what are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­Huh? N-Nothing. Haha.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, Big Bunny. I know it¡¯s bothersome, but we need to get our portrait done.¡± ¡°Huh? Do you want to get our portrait drawn?¡± ¡°Yup! I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s my stupid daddy¡¯s wish, so I have to grant it.¡± ¡°I-I never said it was my wish.¡± The Duke stuttered as if he was embarrassed. ¡°Say what?! So you don¡¯t want to do it, huh? Is that so? Daddy, are you really going to be like this? If so, then I don¡¯t wish to do this anymore!¡± ¡°N-No, Rere. Daddy made a mistake. A big mistake. Of course, this is daddy¡¯s wish.¡± The Duke even went as far as to make hand gestures in disagreement to convince Rere. Clearly, he was greatly embarrassed. But Rere continued to be stubborn even when she saw her father act in such a way. ¡°I don¡¯t want to. Go away, daddy. Big Bunny, let¡¯s go to bed.¡± The painters, who watched the scene from afar, were confused by the situation. However, their faces looked more tired than confused as if they had been waiting for ages to draw our family portrait. In the meantime, Rere insisted on not wanting to have the portrait drawn. For that reason, I decided to interfere. ¡°Rere, let¡¯s have our portrait drawn just once, hmm? Mom really wants us to have one, too.¡± ¡°Tch¡­. Since Big Bunny wishes for it so deeply, I have no other choice but to grant her wish. You can sit next to me.¡° ¡°Okay. I can sit here, right?¡± Rere tapped the seat next to her. ¡°Yup!¡± As soon as I sat down, Rere hugged my waist and leaned her body on mine. On the other hand, the Duke watched us with a frown on his face. ¡°Will you be going with that pose?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I then hugged Rere to my heart¡¯s content as well. Shortly after, Rere instructed the painters. ¡°We¡¯re ready now. You can start drawing.¡± ¡°Rere, what about daddy?¡± ¡°Why do we need to include daddy in the portrait, too?¡± ¡°Be-Because we¡¯re family?¡¯ ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s right. Daddy is my family, too. You can sit beside us if you want.¡± Rere spoke as if she couldn¡¯t help it and slightly moved her buttocks toward the Duke. ¡°Rere. The couch is too cramped for Daddy¡­¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s because daddy¡¯s butt is too big! If you keep on complaining, I will go to sleep, okay?¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do as you say¡­.¡± ¡°My daddy always acts like this when I praise him too much. Honestly, you did well today, oh no, you didn¡¯t!¡± Suddenly, Rere began to scold the Duke. She looked so cute that I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Rere, did daddy make a mistake once again?¡± ¡°Yes. Because you¡¯re having our portrait drawn even when you haven¡¯t officially ended the party! That¡¯s your mistake! Because of that, you need to be spanked on the butt 100 times!¡± ¡°Oh right, the party. I have to wrap it up first. How annoying.¡± I couldn¡¯t even fathom how irresponsible he was. ¡°You need to go and wrap it up first.¡± ¡°Listen to Big Bunny!¡± ¡°¡­Hmm, I¡¯m worried at the thought that Rere would instruct the artists to begin drawing the portrait without me.¡± ¡°I got caught.¡± Rere then stuck her tongue out shamelessly. ¡°Then I have no choice either. Luca.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Go and wrap up the party on my behalf. Just like usual.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll heed your order, Your Grace.¡± On my behalf, you say? No matter how alike their outer appearance was, their eye colors still differ. While I wondered about that, Luca, who made eye contact with me, smiled gently. At that moment, he lightly swept his eyes with his hand. His golden eyes then suddenly turned red. ¡°Lu-Luca¡¯s eyes¡­.¡± ¡°Wow! Luca¡¯s eyes turned red. Now I won¡¯t be able to tell the difference between Daddy and Luca!¡± Just as Rere said, I won¡¯t be able to tell the difference between them right away, especially if they stood next to each other. Perhaps the only difference between their faces was that Luca¡¯s face was radiating kindness. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°¡­D-Do you¡­often have Luca do such errands?¡± As if it happened often, Luca turned away and left with light steps. ¡°Not often¡­.. Only sometimes, I think.¡± ¡°Surely, he does that often. Most times, I can¡¯t meet Luca because he¡¯s busy doing daddy¡¯s job!¡± ¡°No, Rere. You don¡¯t know how busy daddy is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that. Stupid daddy. But why do daddy and Luca look so alike?¡± ¡°I know. Maybe because Daddy is too handsome, Luca¡­¡± At that time, Rere shook her head with a tired expression. ¡°Daddy is not attractive.¡± ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m not attractive?¡± ¡°Look at you shamelessly saying you are handsome. Because of that, your charms fell to the ground in a split second.¡± ¡°Re-Rere!¡± ¡°Hmph. Stop calling me. Otherwise, you¡¯ll only get more obsessed with me. You guys, hurry up and draw us.¡± ¡°Ah, y-yes!¡± The painters, who were listening to the seemingly never-ending bickering of the two, began to move their hands in a hasty manner. I was born in an era where photos came out immediately with only a press of a button. That¡¯s why when I had to stay still for a long time and listen to nothing but the sound of artists drawing, I couldn¡¯t help but yawn because of how bored I felt. What¡¯s worse, we¡¯ve been in this position for over an hour already. And then, as if I wasn¡¯t the only one who was bored, Rere suddenly fell asleep with her body leaned on me. ¡°Why does it have to be today?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I asked the reason why you decided to get our portrait drawn today.¡± ¡°Well, Rere was so excited about wearing matching clothes with her mom, so I wanted to have the memories we created today retained.¡± At his words, I looked down at Rere, who was sleeping in my arms. ¡°¡­Ah. So you¡¯re doing this for Rere¡¯s sake?¡± ¡°It¡¯s also for my sake. Even though other families get their portraits drawn every year, I never had one with Rere.¡± The Duke, who rested his chin on his hand and leisurely crossed his legs, slowly turned his head and made eye contact with me. ¡°Not even once¡­?¡± ¡°¡­That was how I felt back then.¡± ¡°That would mean you¡¯ve been pretending, huh? As if you were a father who loves his child, and a dad who does everything for his child.¡± ¡°I think so.¡± The Duke clenched his fists for a brief moment. I thought he would deny my words, but he agreed and looked at the child in my arms. ¡°Sometimes, when you¡¯re being so straightforward¡­.I get the feeling that I actually hate you.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to be straightforward at all times from now on. Because I also hate you.¡± ¡°Do you hate me that much?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t even hesitate.¡± ¡°You did terrible things to me, so there¡¯s no way I¡¯d hesitate.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You hurt people without hesitation, and now that you¡¯re not doing so anymore, you act as though you want to move on even though you are the assailant. In the first place, you don¡¯t even know how much pain you¡¯ve inflicted on people, yet you want to move on as if it¡¯s all just in the past.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°That being so, you can hate me all you want. Because I¡¯ll hate you as much as I want, too.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 61 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 61 Now that I¡¯ve said what I always wanted to, I wonder how you¡¯ll take it and what expression you¡¯ll make¡­ Will you be angry? Or will you be embarrassed? I was curious, but as soon as I looked at him, the only emotion permeating his face was a sense of despondency. Just like an emotionless person, he was devoid of any expression. And it pricked my conscience. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°You agreed to it¡­so easily.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°The fact that you agreed to it so easily means that you don¡¯t feel that much regret and compassion towards me.¡± ¡°But my heart reacts differently every time I see you. I¡¯ve never felt this way before¡­¡± ¡°It must be because I¡¯m different from the people around you who¡¯d blindly believe in you even if you say, ¡®poop is gold.¡¯ Don¡¯t mistake feelings caused by unfamiliarity for attraction.¡± I started stroking Rere¡¯s hair after I was finished with my words. The feelings this man had for me were simply fascination upon discovering something new. It¡¯s similar to the thrill you feel when you first see an elephant. That¡¯s why it¡¯s only right to nip it in the bud as soon as such feelings start to grow. Because it was better not to put any hope in our ill-fated relationship. Before this love-hate relationship turned into affection. Thereafter, time went by in silence once again. Meanwhile, the artists, who were finished drawing a simple sketch, were now painting on a huge canvas that had the same size as a human body separately. At that time, I could only hear the sound of firewood burning. I couldn¡¯t hold back my drowsiness, no matter how hard I tried. ¡°Yaawn.¡± In the end, I let out a yawn even when I tried so hard to hold back. ¡°You can sleep if you want.¡± His words woke me up in an instant. ¡°No. I¡¯m alright.¡± Of course, that wasn¡¯t true at all. I was barely able to keep myself awake, so it¡¯s only a matter of time before I fall asleep again. ¡°You don¡¯t have to endure it.¡± ¡°Who says I¡¯m enduring it? I said I¡¯m alright.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°More importantly, what happened with Luca earlier¡­¡± He acted as though he was ready to answer any of my questions, but his face hardened the moment I mentioned Luca. ¡°Luca. Everything is about Luca. Everyone is going crazy to find out what kind of person he is.¡± ¡°¡­. Are you jealous?¡± ¡°Jealous? No way. Am I not the one who has everything? I can¡¯t be jealous of someone who has nothing.¡± ¡°Yet you still felt jealous.¡± At my words, I was able to notice his pupils shook. ¡°What a childish person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny. Do you think it makes sense to say that about me?¡± ¡°Yes, because it¡¯s true. So, stop being jealous and tell me what you know about Luca.¡± ¡°Why do I need to tell you? Are you going to try to get along with him and abandon me?¡± I asked him because he might know something about Luca, but I was too naive to think he¡¯d tell me easily. ¡°I should¡¯ve kept my mouth shut.¡± ¡°¡­ What are you so curious about?¡± When he changed his mind out of the blue, I was reminded of what Luca told me that night. He said Duke Ian resembled a child. How could he not resemble a child when he acts in such a way? He refused to answer my question, yet he suddenly changed his mind and asked me what it was that I was curious about. ¡°I¡¯m not curious about anything.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you curious about him until just now?¡± ¡°No. I just want to know how long I have to stay in this position. My clothes are causing me discomfort¡­¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m done!¡± A painter, who was seated in the middle, suddenly got up from his seat. ¡°Really? That¡¯s good then.¡± Duke Ian Petri then stood up and reached out to me. ¡°You can stand up now.¡± ¡°Is it really over?¡± ¡°Since he already said that he¡¯s finished, it should be over.¡± He then cast an indifferent look at the painters that were still moving their hands in a hasty manner, which made them stop brusquely. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re all done!¡± ¡°Haha. Of course. We¡¯ll bring the completed version next time.¡± As if to prove the bad rumors surrounding the Dukedom of Petri, the painters rushed out of the room as though their tail was on fire. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get going now, Your Excellency.¡± One person pouted because he hadn¡¯t finished painting, but the head of the painters was so determined to leave that the rest had no choice but to get out as well. Complete silence filled the room as soon as no painter was in sight anymore. And so, I gently carried the child, who fell asleep while leaning on me, in my arms. ¡°I hope you have a good night. Nanny, take off Rere¡¯s dress and put her to sleep.¡± ¡°Yes, madam.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take off my dress and go to sleep, too.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll prepare a bath early in the morning tomorrow so that madam can wash up as soon as you wake up.¡± If I could, I just wanted to run and jump on the bed. But the Duke didn¡¯t even think about going out even though I bid him farewell already. If I could, I would¡¯ve immediately ran to the bed. However, the Duke didn¡¯t leave the room even when I bid him farewell already. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to leave?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be taking my leave then.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As if he was an abandoned puppy, he looked at me with eyes full of sorrow. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°¡­Like what?¡± ¡°Like a puppy whose toy was stolen.¡± ¡°¡­ I couldn¡¯t have made that expression. Then, I¡¯ll get going now.¡± He furrowed his brows as if he was offended, and turned his back to leave the room. That was so ridiculous. ¡®I should¡¯ve prayed for him rather than for Rebecca at that time.¡¯ Why do you have such a bad personality? Why do you act as though you¡¯re out of your mind most of the time? ¡®Even if I ask him, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d answer.¡¯ Rather, it¡¯s obvious he¡¯d start to act arrogantly around me if I so much as ask a question about him. ¡°I won¡¯t ask anything.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± At that time, the nanny, who was preparing the bed for Rere, turned her head upon hearing my words. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Is that so? Speaking of which, master has changed a lot since your return.¡± ¡°Changed? That person?¡± ¡°Yes. He held a party and had a family portrait made.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Rere wants it¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that the party is something our miss wished for, but the portrait is different.¡± Now I understood the reason why the nanny¡¯s gaze was subtly different from before, why she would look at me with eyes full of expectations, and why she looked happy earlier. ¡°Instead of change, he just came to his senses. Don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± I dislike having anyone look at me with eyes full of expectations. That I, who always behaved moderately toward the nanny and the maids, slightly crossed the line by raising my tone. ¡°Help me lay Rere down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± We put her down on the bed slowly, but Rere flinched as soon as we successfully did so. That is because no matter how comfortable her dress may be, she wouldn¡¯t be able to properly sleep in clothes that made a rustling sound everytime she moved. And so, I tried to take off her clothes, which made Rere squirm. ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± ¡°Rere, help me take off your clothes before you sleep.¡± ¡°Hng¡­¡± As if she was able to understand, Rere rolled from side to side, which made it easier for me to take off her clothes. After that, I took off my dress as well and lied down next to Rere. How can something as simple as lying down beside Rere make me this happy? I rolled around, stretched my arms, and then yawned while hugging Rere in my arms in the wide bed. Not long after, I fell into a deep slumber. The next day. Rere and I stayed in bed until late in the afternoon. ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move the small bed you have in your old room here!¡± ¡°Suddenly? Don¡¯t you prefer it when the bed is wide?¡± ¡°I do, but because it¡¯s too wide, I can¡¯t correct Big Bunny¡¯s sleeping habits.¡± While pouting her mouth, Rere rolled around the bed with Ugly in her arms. ¡°You don¡¯t know how bad Big Bunny¡¯s sleeping habits are, do you? You would hold Rere like this and roll around the bed. Haaa. Rere has been suffering far too much.¡± ¡°H-Have you really been suffering that much?¡± ¡°Of course! Whenever I wake up in the morning, my neck and shoulders hurt.¡± As if to prove her discomfort, she massaged her shoulders and neck with her cute little hands. At the sight, I tried so hard to suppress my smile and put on a worried expression. ¡°Then, shall we sleep separately?¡± At those words, Rere quickly stood up. ¡°S-Separately?!¡± ¡°You said you were suffering because of mom.¡± ¡°Wh-Who said that! T-That¡¯s not what I¡¯m trying to say¡­..¡± ¡°Hmm? That¡¯s not it?¡± ¡°Yes! That¡¯s not it. What I meant was¡­. I want to take care of Big Bunny from now on¡­.! ¡°But I have bad sleeping habits¡­.¡± ¡°¡­No! It¡¯s because I don¡¯t want Big Bunny to fall! That¡¯s why I have to correct your sleeping habits¡­.¡± Rere puffed her cheeks and lowered her head. ¡°Really? You should¡¯ve been honest then.¡± ¡°An honest girl is unattractive! And¡­I always can¡¯t help but say the exact opposite of what¡¯s in my heart.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But I like listening to your honest words.¡± ¡°¡­.Really?¡± ¡°Of course! People won¡¯t know anything unless you tell them what you truly feel. If mom doesn¡¯t tell Rere how much mom loves Rere, then Rere will never know.¡± The child eagerly nodded her head. Because of this, her chubby cheeks shook cutely. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right! Big Bunny, you have to say I love you to Rere five to ten times a day!¡± ¡°Alright. But Rere should be honest with Big Bunny from now on, okay?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± In the meantime, the nanny brought us a lot of food using a tray trolley. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were awake already? I would¡¯ve helped you wash up right away.¡± ¡°In any case, that won¡¯t be happening as today is the day I¡¯ll only roll around in bed with Rere the whole day without washing up.¡± I shook my head firmly. I used Rere as an excuse because I didn¡¯t want to move my body at all today. ¡°Our lady can do that, but madam, you have a lot of work to do.¡± ¡°I have to¡­work?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 62 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 62 ¡°The party ended abruptly yesterday, and quite a few noble families sent us letters expressing their regrets.¡± ¡°They sent letters in just one day?¡± ¡°Yes. You must read all of them, and you also should think about how to manage the dukedom¡¯s property.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t tell me he asked me to do all that?¡± ¡°Yes. Master has entrusted the household management to Madam.¡± With her hands clasped together and her face blushing, she seemed to be imagining a prince in a fairy tale. ¡°He is so considerate toward his wife.¡± ¡°Considerate? Not at all. Don¡¯t misunderstand, Nanny. Everything he does for me¡ª¡± I was going to say more, but I stopped when I noticed the nanny smiling at me. ¡°Yes. I see.¡± Ha. Her response made me even more uncomfortable. ¡°But I still think you need to sort the letters and set the budget.¡± ¡°No! Big Bunny must rest today!¡± Before I knew it, Rere had already climbed over my body, and shook her head strongly. ¡°But, Miss. It¡¯s something that Madam has to do¡­.¡± ¡°My Big Bunny is tired!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Hey Nanny! You¡¯re a nanny, right? Why is a nanny doing this?! A nanny doing this is called cheating, so stop working. Today, Rere declares! Today is a rest day for everyone!¡± Rere lifted both arms, and shook her head eagerly. ¡°If everyone is resting today, who will cook for you, Miss?¡± ¡°Oh no¡­I have to ask the chef to make chocolate cake.¡± ¡°But today is a resting day for everyone¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah! Today is the day where bunnies rest! So Big Bunny should rest today!¡± Giggling, Rere covered me with a blanket and stroked my head. ¡°Shuush, sleep well, Big Bunny.¡± ¡°What about Rere?¡± ¡°Since Rere is a small rabbit, Rere will sleep next to you!¡± Before I could respond, Rere had already snuggled next to me. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yup! Ugly! You should lay down too! We¡¯re a rabbit family, so we should sleep together!¡± The nanny who had been watching us silently, shook her head. ¡°I recall we had this kind of day too before.¡± ¡°I also want to rest today, so please let us slide just for today. Also¡­I don¡¯t usually do that sort of work¡­¡± The nanny nodded slightly at my words. ¡°Yes. I understand that you may feel burdened by this. Then why don¡¯t you rest until we find someone to help you?¡± ¡°Someone to help me?¡± ¡°Yes. Since Master knows that Madam is unfamiliar with this kind of work, he decided to find an expert to help you.¡± ¡°¡­Why did he even entrust it to me in the first place?¡± ¡°Master genuinely cares about Madam! He has never entrusted the household management to anyone before!¡± Given that the nanny completely misunderstood my words, and the maids behind her even nodded in unison, I made a firm decision. ¡®I¡¯ll deceive you, and squander all of your fortune! You¡¯ll regret it!¡¯ I had to secure my own funds as well. Don¡¯t tell me you left everything to me without even checking where the money comes and goes? Great. My stay here won¡¯t be long anyway, and someday Rere will not need me anymore, so taking care of the household wasn¡¯t so bad since I could appropriate slush money for my escape. Having made up my mind, I nodded eagerly. ¡°Okay. Tell him I don¡¯t need anyone to help me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good with numbers.¡± No, even if I¡¯m bad at it, I will be good at it starting today. Since that man had shown me what the worst thing human beings could do, I should compensate myself for the damage he inflicted on me. With a firm determination, I smiled at the nanny as naturally as possible. ¡°I-If that¡¯s your wish, I will inform Master about it.¡± ¡°All good then! I will rest with Rere today, so I¡¯ll leave it to you. And regarding the letters¡­put it on fire¡­.¡± ¡°Put it on, what..?¡± Just put it on fire. I suppressed my desire to say that. ¡°I meant don¡¯t put them in order and just leave them for now.¡± ¡°Yes! I will heed your order. I¡¯ll just leave them neatly so Madam can go through the letters one by one.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll tell the chef to make chocolate cake.¡± The nanny and the maids quickly set off. Even just looking at their back was exhausting. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Big Bunny is tired.¡± ¡°Gosh! Are you tired? Should Rere tell Daddy not to make Big Bunny work?¡± ¡°No! I should do what¡¯s entrusted to me!¡± I had to do it no matter what. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t want to work?¡± ¡°No! I want to work!¡± ¡°Big Bunny is so kind!¡± ¡°K-Kind?¡± ¡°Yeah. Even though my daddy is always mean to you and acts like a fool, you still do whatever my daddy asks you to do. How nice of you! If it were me, I¡¯d storm his office and scold him!¡± Dang. It seemed Rere also misunderstood the situation. ¡°Anyways, it¡¯s true that you¡¯re kind. That¡¯s why I¡¯m worried. Rere needs to teach Big Bunny a lot! Haaa¡­Rere is tired, but what else can I do? Big Bunny, you should follow what I say until you become human, okay?¡± Rere sighed as if she carried a huge burden, and snuggled her way into my arms. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll follow Rere¡¯s instructions.¡± ¡°How nice. My Big Bunny is so nice!¡± ¡°My Rere, too, is so pretty.¡± I expected Rere to say, ¡®I know I¡¯m pretty¡¯, but she closed her eyes and quietly hugged me. ¡°I¡¯m happy. Now everyone in the world won¡¯t mock me because I don¡¯t have a mom, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I won¡¯t let you think that way again, Rere. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt again. ¡°You know, the party was fun though. I can¡¯t forget it!¡± Rere wriggled her legs in joy and smiled brightly. ¡°Yeah. I will never forget that moment. Dancing with Rere, and how Rere sought apologies for Big Bunny!¡± ¡°What else did you find fun?¡± ¡°When Rere scolds the bad guys?¡± ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Eating cake with Rere, actually, every moment I spend with Rere is making me happy. It was fun.¡± Perhaps it was finally the answer that Rere wanted to hear, she nodded calmly. ¡°I¡¯m Big Bunny¡¯s favorite daughter, after all!¡± ¡°Big Bunny also thinks so. How can I live without Rere?¡± At that time, Rere sat up. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a flower in Big Bunny¡¯s mouth.¡± ¡°A flower?¡± ¡°Yeah! Since you only say pretty things like flowers!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! Flower rabbit.¡± How could you be so lovely? I held Rere tightly in my arms. ¡°I feel so blessed.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I can be Rere¡¯s mom. I¡¯m so lucky to have such a lovely daughter like Rere!¡± ¡°Me too, I¡¯m happy because you are my mom. There were other mothers, but I¡¯ve never seen anyone like Big Bunny.¡± Rere gently stroked my check. ¡°Thank you for making Rere happy. Thanks to you, Rere is having so much fun! Rere is not even sick because Rere is too happy now.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right!¡± I seized that moment to examine Rere¡¯s complexion. Recently, Rere¡¯s complexion had improved even beyond the kids her age. Her pale, white face started to show some pink sometimes. More than her face, her thin body had gotten heavier, and she was a little taller as well. ¡°Yes! My heart is not pounding so fast anymore, I don¡¯t feel dizzy or have a coughing fit anymore!¡± Should I feel relieved? However, one shouldn¡¯t be relieved when dealing with illness, since a sudden relapse could occur anytime. ¡®Once I¡¯m done with everything, I¡¯ll call the doctor from last time. The things he said then¡­it makes me restless.¡¯ Surely, there were some parts that seemed effective. It was not something to pass lightly. ¡°Anyways, it¡¯s all thanks to Big Bunny!¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that Rere has gotten better, but I hope Rere¡¯s illness could be cured completely.¡± ¡°Me too! I want to get better soon! Even now, I¡¯m not hurt or anything¡­but still!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Mom will make sure you will get better.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± The child was getting more and more expressive. She smiled a lot and spoke so beautifully. Seeing her made me smile. ¡°Shall we sleep more then?¡± ¡°Yup! Sleep!¡± Just like that, we slowly fell into slumber. We didn¡¯t know that we could sleep so soundly even after already waking up. There was an old saying; Don¡¯t postpone your work. If you keep postponing, you¡¯ll never see the end of it. That was exactly what happened to me. ¡°¡­Why did I agree to do this?¡± At a large desk next to Rere¡¯s room, I was busy examining the documents piled before me. A stack that never decreased no matter how much I looked at it. No, when I saw one document, it seemed in my eyes it had increased by five pages. ¡°Haa¡­¡± ¡°Let go! I wanna play with Big Bunny! I wanna play with Big Bunny!¡± At that time, Rere ran fast to me and poked me in the side. She was pouting while holding Ugly. ¡°Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Rere! When did you get here?¡± ¡°¡­Rere¡­didn¡¯t want to disturb you¡­¡± Rere fidgeted her feet as she hesitated and bowed her head. ¡°Daddy said I shouldn¡¯t disturb you when you¡¯re working¡­I know that, but¡­.¡± I turned the chair and lifted Rere onto my lap. ¡°Good job!¡± I leaned against her. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Rere, my Rere. Please save Big Bunny!¡± I whispered so that the nanny, who was calmly placing documents next to me, didn¡¯t hear it. ¡°Save Big Bunny?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­Big Bunny doesn¡¯t want to work.¡± ¡°Gosh, is that so? Ey, this is not good! Rere needs to save you!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 63 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 63 ¡°Stop making my Big Bunny work!¡± ¡°Pardon? B-But¡­.you still have so much work to do!¡± The nanny smiled mirthfully, pointed to the documents. ¡°If you finish all of this, you can play a little bit.¡± ¡°¡­Rere. I think there¡¯s a reason why the Duke made me do this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°He¡¯s trying to stop me from playing with Rere.¡± ¡°Huh! You¡¯re right! That must be it!¡± Rere¡¯s nostrils flared as she wheezed angrily. Otherwise, the Duke wouldn¡¯t ask me to do things that are outside my purview. The child pursed her lips, as if having the same thought. ¡°My daddy slacks off all the time and dumps his work on Luca. Now he wants to bother Big Bunny, too?¡± Nod. Nod. ¡°I¡¯m gonna scold him so hard! I couldn¡¯t do it before, but I¡¯m gonna smack his butt 200 times this time!¡± ¡°Go for it!¡± Suddenly, ¡°Madam!¡± It was May. Without even knocking, the door burst open and May rushed in. ¡°May. Mind your manner when entering ¡­.¡± The nanny took the role of a head maid as that position was currently empty in the household, which made her wrinkle her forehead and shake her head at May. But May remained unaffected by her disapproval. ¡°Oh my god! Nanny! It¡¯s not the time for that!¡± ¡°What do you mean? Is it a very urgent matter enough for you to disregard etiquette?¡± ¡°Yes! You have a guest, Madam.¡± ¡°A guest?¡± I instinctively flinched when I heard that. ¡°I¡¯ve answered all the letters coming from people who requested an audience. I¡¯ve refused all of them.¡± Certainly, I answered all the 137 letters that came to me at a single stroke yesterday. According to etiquette, it is only right to reply to the letters briefly after the party, so I wrote replies until my hands fell off. But why is the guest here¡­. ¡°Pardon? It¡¯s¡­not a guest from the party.¡± ¡°¡­If it isn¡¯t a guest from the party¡­then who?¡± So it¡¯s not just one or two people who quarreled with me at the party. And I tried to avoid meeting people as much as possible¡­ ¡°They are your family, Madam.¡± ¡°¡­Come again?¡± ¡°The Selen Family¡­.¡± At that moment, not only did my whole body tense up, but my mind was occupied with complicated thoughts. My mind was flooded with Leona Selen¡¯s memories of how her family had treated her in the past. ¡°Send them back.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°Now, and in the future, I won¡¯t meet them. So just send them back.¡± I already knew what they wanted to say anyway. That¡¯s why I was more resolute about my decision. However, the more stubborn I was, the more May¡¯s face turned white. ¡°T-The truth is¡­I told them that they can¡¯t just barge in without prior appointment.¡± May¡¯s stammering irked me. ¡°What was their reply?¡± ¡°Yes¡­can I just tell you honestly?¡± At May¡¯s hesitant question, I gulped before nodding. ¡°How dare a lowly peasant like you try to block me, do you know who I am! I am the close relative of this duke family! Open the door right away!¨Cthat¡¯s what he said¡­¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°No way. When I asked who he was, he said, I¡¯m the father of Duchess Leona Petri. Unless you want to be punished, lead the way right now!¡± I was struck with a sudden headache. I felt nauseous and dizzy. Leona Selen, what sins did you commit, to live with such trashy humans? ¡°What should I do, Madam?¡± Meanwhile, other maids rushed behind May. Judging by their lowered eyes, they must have experienced the same treatment as May. ¡°Haa¡­¡± The maids bowed their heads, mumbling. ¡°If Madam doesn¡¯t come out¡­.¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to barge in¡­¡± ¡°They won¡¯t listen to me no matter what. Rather, he shoved me¡­saying, how dare the likes of you touch me with your filthy hands!¡± Eventually, I had to leap out of my seat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone! I think it¡¯d be best for me to go see them. Where are they now?¡± ¡°Since they were creating a scene, I brought them to the drawing room for now. But, will you be alright, Madam?¡± ¡°What else can I do? They won¡¯t leave until I see them.¡± ¡°Understood, Madam. Then we¡¯ll follow you.¡± May hesitated, apparently trying to read my mood. ¡°Thank you, May.¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t even refuse¡­¡± ¡°I thought I¡¯d feel more relaxed if May is with me.¡± It seemed like she felt a little disappointed, but May still smiled awkwardly and approached me. ¡°How reliable. Then I shall be on my way now. Nanny, please take care of Rere.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Why? Rere wants to go too!¡± ¡°No. This is very¡­very dangerous¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s dangerous, you should go with Rere! There¡¯s no one as strong as Rere! Hmph!¡± Rere puffed her cheeks up like a puffer fish and pursed her lips. ¡°No. It¡¯s not dangerous enough for Rere to come out.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! If it¡¯s really dangerous, I would¡¯ve asked Rere to come with me.¡± Only then did Rere, whose cheeks were swollen, nodded her head. ¡°I see. So it must be nothing serious, right?!¡± ¡°Yeah, of course.¡± ¡°Okay. Then hurry up and come back!¡± ¡°Yeah, in the meantime, Rere should think about what we¡¯ll play later, okay?¡± ¡°Yupp!¡± Rere held Ugly in her arms, lifted it in the air and shook it eagerly. After waving my hand to Rere, I slowly turned around and walked with May. How long has it been? What should I say to Leona¡¯s family? As I was agonizing over those matters, I arrived at the first floor drawing-room. Loud noises were heard from inside the drawing room, as if trying to announce their presence. ¡°I can¡¯t believe no one came to greet us!¡± ¡°That child needs a scolding for sure!¡± ¡°Just yell at her, Father! I¡¯m sure that brat Leona will come to her senses.¡± Listening to them was equal to eating a basket of sweet potatoes, so I held May¡¯s hand tightly in front of the door. (TL/N: Sweet potato is used to describe frustration) ¡°May. Stay here.¡± ¡°Pardon? But¡­¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll have a lot to talk about inside.¡± No matter how determined I am to live freely, I don¡¯t want to display my family screaming like madmen. Perhaps because May was reluctant to come with me in the first place, she accepted my command without hesitation. ¡°I will heed your order, Madam.¡± ¡°You seem a little happy, May¡­.¡± ¡°No! No way! Please enter and return, Madam. Fighting!¡± You are so heartless, May. Well, considering what Leona¡¯s family did to them earlier, that reaction is understandable. And before I went, I held May¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°May, just in case.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t come out after 15 minutes, call the knights or anyone.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Tell them to barge in. Okay?¡± I held the maids¡¯ hands one by one with my utmost sincerity. I¡¯m going to war now. The war against the bad guys who tormented Leona in the past, just beyond that door. ¡°Phew. Open the door for me.¡± On command, the maids opened the door right away. All the people inside turned their heads to me. ¡°Oh my dear daughter, Leona!¡± Leona¡¯s father greeted me with open arms and an affectionate smile. ¡°My sister, Leona!¡± Leona¡¯s sister was busy looking at me from head to toe, to be precise, looking at my clothes and jewelry. ¡°I missed you so much! This mother of yours is worried that you might be suffering!¡± Even the mother who fakes crying without even taking out her handkerchief. What a disgusting mob. How could they act as if they did nothing wrong? I glanced at the door briefly before approaching them. I motioned to May to close the door, and she shut it without delay. After I heard the thudding sound, I sighed low. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you like this. Should I say I¡¯m glad to meet you again?¡± ¡°Of course! You should be glad to meet us!¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re like the old Leona that I know!¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d changed, but I guess not.¡± Watching my family members talking one after another, I heaved a deep sigh. ¡°Gosh. How absurd.¡± ¡°Did you just say, absurd!!¡± ¡°Look at how absurd you are now. You ran to me as soon as you heard that I became a duchess.¡± As I spoke, the three rushed toward me. ¡°Of course! You should¡¯ve invited us to your party!¡± My sister¡¯s claim incited the others to coerce me. They approached me aggressively, but I just passed by them and sat in the main chair. ¡°I can¡¯t just invite anyone.¡± ¡°Are you saying we¡¯re ¡®just anyone¡¯ to you?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s sit down first.¡± Naturally, my father approached the main chair to seat himself. But that seat was already occupied by me. ¡°What are you doing now! Leona!¡± ¡°Why are you asking? Of course, I sat in my seat. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my father¡¯s seat!¡± ¡°Why? Oh, by any chance, do you have a higher status than me? I never heard news like that, though.¡± When I said that, my father looked embarrassed, and my mother stumbled as if she was going to faint. Meanwhile, my sister rushed to me and tried to grab my wrist. But I didn¡¯t intend to succumb to them. Leona had worked herself to death for beings that didn¡¯t deserve to be called family. That¡¯s why I won¡¯t lose to them whether in terms of speed or strength. I gripped my sister¡¯s hand as if trying to break it. ¡°Argh!!¡± ¡°If you want to avoid any accidents, sit down right away. I¡¯ll give you a chance to talk.¡± ¡°Le-Leona!!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 64 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 64 ¡°Stop screaming. The people outside will barge in thinking that a dangerous thing happened inside.¡± ¡°You thought I¡¯d be scared of such things?¡± ¡°Then go ahead and scream more. That way you won¡¯t be able to step into this place ever again! Won¡¯t it be fun to see you dragged out of here?¡± I smiled brightly and gazed at them straight in the eye. At the same time, I shook off my sister¡¯s hand. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re touching? Jane Selen.¡± ¡°H-How dare you call my name like that?¡± ¡°Then how else should I call you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really crossing the line!¡± ¡°All of you should be careful. If you remember where you are standing right now, and what kind of human being you are, you would not act so carelessly. Remember well who and what brought me here in the first place.¡± You sold Leona¡ªthe good girl who sacrificed everything for her family since childhood. So I will bring justice to her. I will avenge you Leona. ¡°Ahem, about that..¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t help it either. My daughter, please trust us!¡± Leona¡¯s mother took out a handkerchief, dabbed her eyes with it as if trying to force tears. It was a high quality silk handkerchief. In order to get such precious and rare fabrics, usually commoners take the leftover fabrics to make a new one, but the handkerchief my mother used did not look like leftover fabric at all. In short, it was obvious that she ate and lived well. ¡°Leona? How long will you continue to pretend not to know us?¡± Perhaps they decided coercion would be ineffective against me, so my parents immediately resorted to guilt-tripping me. My mother pitifully looked down at her own clothes and Jane¡¯s clothes, and my father showed his worn out shoes to me. ¡°This is how we live these days.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t eat properly for a few days because there¡¯s nothing to eat.¡± ¡°Stop pretending you don¡¯t know us! Aren¡¯t we a family?¡± ¡°Family? Of course we are! Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t do that to my father, mother, and sister!¡± After I said that, my mother immediately grabbed my hands. ¡°That¡¯s right! How have you been? Do you know how much your mother missed you?¡± ¡°I really missed my family, too.¡± ¡°You have always been a good child who put your family first! Last time we made a mistake. We were just flustered.¡± ¡°Yes, you should sit down first. I can¡¯t just allow my family to stand up like that.¡± Just like an obedient puppy, my parents sat on a chair next to me at the same time. Their eyes twinkled. Only Jane sat down haughtily, crossing her legs. ¡°You seem to be doing well, my dear daughter.¡± Their acting skill was out of this world. My mother trembled from her fingertips, acting all pitiful. As if it wasn¡¯t enough, she stroked my hand gently. ¡°Mother is worried about you a lot.¡± ¡°Yeah. Your mother couldn¡¯t sleep well because she was worried.¡± ¡°Your father as well. He¡¯s so worried everyday, pacing up and down anxiously, deliberating whether we should visit you to see if you¡¯re really doing well or not.¡± I was curious as to how long they would keep up with this nonsense, so I gave a noncommittal response, and they kept on babbling as if thinking that I fell for their performance. In the meantime, my head filled with Leona¡¯s memories of her sacrifices for her family. The reason why Leona is shorter than her biological sister, Jane, and the reason why she is unusually thinner must have been due to her childhood suffering. None of the humans in her family seemed to regard Leona as a family. She was simply an obedient slave to them. It¡¯s hard to believe such disgusting humans moved their mouths so shamelessly in front of me now. How amusing. ¡°I see that you¡¯ve suffered a lot, both father and mother. But sister¡­.I guess you¡¯ve been living well.¡± As if trying to get her to play along with their facade, my mother pulled Jane¡¯s arm without any hesitation. ¡°Argh! It hurts!¡± ¡°Hurry up and say something!¡± ¡°Dad, Mom. Don¡¯t you think something is off? She¡¯s been hostile toward us until just now. Isn¡¯t it weird that she is listening to us so suddenly?¡± Jane accurately grasped the whole situation, but the Selens did not back down. ¡°Be quiet! Leona is a good child, so she lets us slide!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. So, Jane, you should talk about how you¡¯re doing these days.¡± ¡°Ha. Are you both stupid? Her smile gets wider each time we speak!¡± However, no one listened to Jane. As if he felt talking to Jane was futile, my father turned his head toward me hurriedly. ¡°Your sister is sick these days.¡± ¡°D-Dad!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why she¡¯s been acting that way. She was out of her mind because she couldn¡¯t eat well. So don¡¯t mind her, Leona!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Your sister can¡¯t sleep well these days. She¡¯s worried that you¡¯re having a hard time in the castle¡­¡± It got more difficult to hold back my laughter. ¡°But I heard they held a party for you, so I thought you must be doing well.¡± ¡°Then again, if it¡¯s a party for you, you should¡¯ve invited us as your family. Why didn¡¯t you invite us?¡± ¡°Did the Duke prevent you from doing that?¡± ¡°Oh, that seems to be the case.¡± I hurriedly covered my mouth, pretending to not know anything. ¡°Honey, I told you so! It¡¯s so unlike Leona to not invite us, so I told you to just go to the party, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°True. We should¡¯ve done that. As expected, there¡¯s no way you didn¡¯t invite us on purpose. You¡¯ve always been a good daughter! Such a good daughter who put her family first!¡± I could tell what kind of human being they were at a glance. Still, I tried to listen more, but I soon dropped my intention due to frustration. ¡°So, are you telling me that all of you can¡¯t eat properly now, is that it?¡± ¡°Yeah. Just look at my shoes! I don¡¯t even have money to buy shoes! Look at your mother and sister! They couldn¡¯t even wash their dresses, let alone buy new ones!¡± A slightly upgraded performance from last time. This time, they even dressed poorly as if they planned to deceive me. But their faces were very oily, indicating they were eating better than I did. They wore shabby clothes and shoes, but they didn¡¯t look at all malnourished. I applauded Leona¡¯s family with my utmost sincerity as they had been presenting a wonderful performance until the very end. Clap, clap- ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong, Leona?¡± ¡°I was surprised. You did pretty well this time. I truly didn¡¯t expect that you would go this far.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? Leona, you weren¡¯t like this before! It pained your heart to see your parents like this, and you would take off your shoes to give to us! You were that kind of child!¡± I shook my head toward the Selen couple, who remained unaware of the situation. ¡°You¡¯ve already sold such a kind child. It¡¯s funny how you sold me and claim to be my family now. Still, I have to give credit to Jane Selen¡­the only one clever enough to grasp the situation.¡± Totally missing the sarcasm in my remark, Jane wrinkled her nose behind the Selen couple, giving them a mocking face. ¡°I told you so! She¡¯s weird!¡± ¡°Leona¡­what¡¯s wrong with you, hmm?¡± ¡°My daughter wasn¡¯t like this!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Your daughter wasn¡¯t like this. She was a child who sacrificed her entire life for you. And you were the ones who sold that child. If I visited you not as a duchess, but as a beggar, would you still welcome me as your daughter?¡± After hesitating a moment, my father shamelessly nodded. ¡°Of course! You¡¯re my daughter after all!¡± ¡°O-Of course! Even so, I would have welcomed you with all my heart!¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny. You¡¯re so good at lying.¡± ¡°What do you mean by lying? We didn¡¯t lie at all!¡± The pair screamed at the same time, lashing out at others for their own mistakes. ¡°So you didn¡¯t lie at all? Those clothes and shoes aren¡¯t fake either?¡± ¡°Of course! Leona, I can¡¯t believe you suspected us!¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re not usually like this!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sick of it! You¡¯ve been repeating the same thing all the time. I don¡¯t want to listen anymore. I mean, it¡¯s pretty obvious that those clothes and shoes are all lies. The handkerchief held by Mrs. Selen proves it. Are you still going to deny it?¡± All eyes turned to her hand. It was a silk handkerchief that looked new. ¡°This is¡­.!¡± ¡°Stop making excuses!¡± ¡°¡­Leona! What you said to your father was quite rude.¡± ¡°Did you forget where you are and who I am? I¡¯m a duchess. The moment you sold me to this place, I arrived here as Leona, not Leona Selen.¡± ¡°A-Are you going to throw away your family name?!¡± ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t have to be nice to the family who did nothing for me.¡± It might have been different if it was the original Leona, but currently, it wasn¡¯t Leona sitting here. The current Leona was meaner than anyone else. This family was nothing but a tool to avenge the real Leona. There was no reason to be nice to humans who worked a good child to death. ¡°Ha¡­.D-Did you say we never did anything for you?!¡± ¡°Put your hand on your chest and tell me honestly. Have you ever done something for me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± My mother, who had been agonizing for a long time, nodded vigorously as if she just remembered something. ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t I call a doctor for you before you were sold?!¡± ¡°Doctor?¡± Doctor? Is Leona sick? I hadn¡¯t heard anything about this before. Why isn¡¯t there anything like that explained in the novel? So I waited for their explanation. As if she found a glimmer of hope, my mother raised her voice. ¡°You often fainted suddenly.¡± ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t know why we sold you? You¡¯ve been acting all high and mighty just because you¡¯re a duchess. The clinic said you¡¯re going to die soon. So we sold you¡ª¡± ¡°Jane! Be quiet!¡± The mother hurriedly covered Jane¡¯s mouth. ¡°What¡­? Did you say I¡¯m going to die soon?¡± ¡°¡­Because you collapsed twice in a week, when usually it only happened once or twice a month. Of course, you might not remember fainting, because you would get up like a doll and continue working as usual. I haven¡¯t called a doctor since.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 65 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 65 My head suddenly felt numb. Leona¡¯s father brought up a past that I couldn¡¯t even remember and secretly read into me. ¡°Still, we did our best for you.¡± He was clearly talking to me, but I couldn¡¯t focus at the moment. It didn¡¯t make sense that Leona was dying. There was no recollection about that at all. ¡°Leona.¡± ¡°My daughter¡­?¡± Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Selen held my hands. The touch alone gave me goosebumps, so I hurriedly pulled back my hands. ¡°Did you really think it was okay to make such a decision just because I¡¯m dying?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been alright since then anyway.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve worked for yourselves. I¡¯ve been working to death alone just to put food on your table. What exactly¡­am I to you?¡± I was really curious and asked on behalf of Leona. What in the world was Leona to them? ¡°A slave? A maid? The only breadwinner in the family?¡± ¡°Leona.¡± ¡°We wanted to work, too! B-But, we were very weak physically back then. That¡¯s why we couldn¡¯t work!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We were so weak! Take a look at us¡­¡± So I fixed my eyes on each of them just like they wanted. Funnily enough, those who claimed sickness looked healthier than Leona. ¡°No matter how much I look, no one seems weaker than me.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Your father¡¯s knees are weak, and I¡­.I feel like collapsing anytime. A-And your sister is¡­ she¡­¡± ¡°Stop it. She¡¯s playing with us right now. Are you all idiots?¡± As expected, Jane was pretty sharp. Hearing her criticize her own parents for their nonsense, I finally came to my senses. ¡°Be quiet, Jane! Do you think we did this because we don¡¯t know better?! We did this because we trust Leona!¡± ¡°My daughter won¡¯t abandon us! If Leona doesn¡¯t help us¡­then we¡­¡± ¡°Is something serious happening?¡± I collected myself and looked at them carefully. My parents¡¯ faces tensed as if something quite serious had happened to them. ¡°That¡¯s¡­.You have to help us if we tell you about this, okay?¡± Almost like she had rehearsed this story, Mrs. Selen whined even before I could answer. ¡°Leona, we lived in poverty after you left! The last time we ate meat was when Duke Petri sent us money¡­but now¡­we can¡¯t even afford rice¡­¡± ¡°¡­After I left? Don¡¯t you mean after you sold me?¡± ¡°Anyways¡­.! How can you throw away your family! I haven¡¯t eaten for three days! Leona, please¡­you¡¯re not someone who will abandon us!¡± Leona¡¯s father rose from his seat in agitation. Where else can you find such a great spectacle? ¡°So you¡¯ve spent all the money you received from selling me and the compensation money from the Duke, only to show up again after you ran through that money?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just that! Your father borrowed money using your name¡­.¡± ¡°What? Money??¡± I doubted my ears for a moment. ¡°T-That¡¯s right. We have nothing to eat, so I borrowed money!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to eat, you have to work or sell your belongings. Borrowing money? Have you gone crazy? It¡¯s not enough that you sold my body, are you even selling my name now?¡± Mrs. Selen shook her hands. ¡°W-We are not selling your name! It¡¯s because my daughter is a duchess now¡­¡± I wanted to scream all kinds of swear words right in their faces. They sold their own daughter and shamelessly used her name to borrow money. I always knew that the Selen family was crazy, but this was far beyond crazy! ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since you sold me. It hasn¡¯t been long at all since the Duchy paid the compensation money. What happened to all that money? Tell me¡­.!¡± ¡°¡­We already used it up.¡± ¡°How much did you borrow?¡± I lived a difficult life. But they easily borrowed money and spent it like it was their own! This time, they went too far. ¡°You¡¯re going to pay off my debt anyway, so I can borrow that much, right?¡± ¡°Why would I pay off your debt? That¡¯s ridiculous! Are you really crazy?¡± ¡°How impudent! You¡¯re so full of yourself now that you¡¯ve become a duchess! Did you say we are crazy?! Leona, no matter how demanding we are with you, you¡¯re still my child! We raised you! So you must sacrifice for us!¡± Leona¡¯s father screamed, finally dropping his good father act. It was so amusing to see them like this. So I burst into laughter. ¡°Now you¡¯re showing your true colors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I can¡¯t stand it anymore! I¡¯d still borrow your name from now on¡­!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a reason to pay off your debt! I¡¯m a grown married woman who acquired my husband¡¯s surname! I have no connection with your family anymore. But you want me to pay off your debt? How ridiculous! I don¡¯t care even if you live like a beggar, I won¡¯t give you a single penny!¡± I leaped from my seat and spat out my feelings. But Leona¡¯s father raised his hand to hit me without a qualm. And then, Thud! ¡°I came in because it was too noisy¡­but what the hell are you doing now?¡± It was the Duke. He rushed in and twisted my father¡¯s arm without hesitation. Amid this sudden situation, I glanced at May standing just outside the door. I think 15 minutes had passed since I entered the parlor, but I didn¡¯t expect the Duke to come in person. Unlike his usual neat appearance, he was disheveled. ¡°Ugh, ouch! It hurts! Let go of me!¡± ¡°I thought this was just a normal family reunion¡­.but what the hell is this?¡± The Duke¡¯s face was filled with murderous rage. His expression was so distorted that I wondered if he truly was the Duke. ¡°Ahh¡­y-your Excellency! Let me go first and talk! This is a misunderstanding¡­.¡± ¡°Misunderstanding? Are you telling me raising your hand against someone is a misunderstanding?¡± ¡°P-Please let him go first! We were just talking!¡± Mrs. Selen, who cherished her husband so much, tried to stop the Duke. ¡°We were just talking.¡± ¡°Yeah! We were just talking. Right, Leona?¡± Everyone turned toward me all at once. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. We were just talking.¡± As I spoke, the Duke roughly threw off Mr. Selen¡¯s hand. His naturally frail body fell to the floor like a dead leaf. ¡°Ugh¡­w-what the hell is this¡­.how can a duke be so mean to a guest? We are Leona¡¯s family! I¡¯m Leona¡¯s father!¡± But the Duke only smirked and approached me. ¡°A family? I guess a family must hit each other in your book?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­a misunderstanding. Leona doesn¡¯t listen so I got a little carried away. It¡¯s just a little misunderstanding.¡± ¡°How amusing. But since when did uninvited people call themselves guests?¡± The Duke crossed his arms. ¡°E-Even if we don¡¯t have an invitation¡­because we¡¯re family¡­.¡± As if intimidated by the Duke, Leona¡¯s father stammered. ¡°Hmm¡­because you¡¯re her family, huh? By the way, didn¡¯t you sell my wife a while back?¡± ¡°Even so! We are still a family!¡± Leona¡¯s father seemed to gather his courage and screamed. Meanwhile, my sister who had been watching silently, suddenly started talking. ¡°We did sell her, but objectively speaking, you have no standing to be so conceited since you are the one who bought Leona! You made her a duchess in name only. But it¡¯s strange that you actually take her as a real duchess after so long!¡± ¡°Jane! Be quiet!¡± Mrs. Selen tried to contain her daughter in a hurry, but Jane was stubborn. ¡°Hoo! It¡¯s my first time to witness a woman questioning me like this. Interestingly enough.¡± ¡°So let¡¯s annul this transactional relationship, and bring in your wife fairly.¡± ¡°Are you doing this for your sister¡¯s sake? If that¡¯s what you want, then are you willing to return the money you took?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m telling you to bring in someone other than her as your wife!¡± Everyone¡¯s faces froze in the natural response to her proposition. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to have a wife who doesn¡¯t have a dirty past like her? I think it¡¯s better than having an uneducated wife.¡± Is this what I think it is? Her face got brighter the moment he appeared. This is really the height of comedy. The Duke basically told her, ¡®You¡¯re the first woman who dares to slap me in the face like this¡¯. Did she misunderstand his meaning or what? ¡°Haha. Why do you think I took Leona as my wife?¡± ¡°Because you already spent money on her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because my daughter and I love her more than anyone else. But what can you offer?¡± ¡°I can do that much, too.¡± As the atmosphere suddenly changed, the Selen couple smiled brightly. ¡°Jane! So you were thinking about that!¡± ¡°Yeah. We don¡¯t have to beg Leona. We have a better daughter!¡± ¡°How amusing. So you want me to take this woman to be my wife now?¡± Mr. and Mrs. Selen nodded at the same time. ¡°Actually, Leona is not that great! Your Excellency, on the other hand, our Jane is a child that we raised preciously. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like her!¡± ¡°I really detest women with ugly hearts like you!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 66 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 66 All of us were frozen by his harsh remark. Jane, who secretly wished to become a duchess, was probably the most ridiculous person of all. She did have a striking appearance. Unlike the shabby Leona, she was quite beautiful. It was obvious how much she groomed herself from her glowing skin, and the silken flow of her hair whenever she moved. ¡°D-Did you just say that my heart is ugly?!¡± ¡°B-But she has a pretty face!¡± Without any delay, Leona¡¯s father hurriedly pushed Jane to get closer to the duke, perhaps considering selling her. Unable to control a smirk as if he was having fun, the Duke walked up to Jane. ¡°Pretty, huh?¡± ¡°She¡¯s prettier than Leona!¡± He leaned forward. Jane¡¯s breathing shallowed as the tall duke bent his body and pressured her with a menacing aura. ¡°Do you like me that much? To think you¡¯d ask your sister¡¯s husband to take you as a wife!¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m the one worthy of that position.¡± Jane¡¯s face was flushed red. ¡°She¡¯s not the kind of woman that suits you. It should be a woman like me!¡± As always, my sister was overly confident. And as always, it was acceptable for her to take my possessions. ¡°Is that so? Then would you describe the kind of person you are?¡± ¡°Clever, beautiful, wise¡­umm and¡­¡± Tuk, tuk! The duke¡¯s beautiful fingers tapped his forearm as he crossed his arms. ¡°Is that all you have?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°How ridiculous! All the women who lined up to be my duchess were far more beautiful than you.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°And Leona is more beautiful than any woman I¡¯ve seen. Even more than you, who went around boasting about your own beauty.¡± The Duke¡¯s eyes were fiercer than ever. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how much she is¡­! Do you even know who that woman is?!¡± Jane screamed loudly to the point it hurt my ears. She totally lost her mind. Suddenly, Mrs. Selen¡¯s face tensed. She hurriedly covered Jane¡¯s mouth as if afraid a secret would slip out of her daughter¡¯s mouth. ¡°Let go of me! Let go!¡± ¡°Pull yourself together, Jane!¡± ¡°How can I not lose my mind? I was compared to that pathetic woman! Just where do I lack?! Huh! I¡¯m going to tell you everything about her! Just wait until I expose the kind of woman she is!¡± ¡°Sheesh! Now is not the time! We can still talk about it later. There seem to be countless women who were rejected by the duke anyway, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have another chance later.¡± Mrs. Selen and Jane whispered loudly, completely oblivious that everyone could still hear them talking. It was only natural that their conversation made me anxious. ¡°Let¡¯s put an end to this, okay?¡± I was taken aback by the situation, but since the Duke was here, I bravely approached the family. Of course, I didn¡¯t step any further than where his hands could reach me. I didn¡¯t know if the real Leona would¡¯ve shed tears like the heroine of a tragic love story¡­ But my nasty personality wouldn¡¯t allow me to do that. Leona would¡¯ve acted differently because she was a good girl, but now I am Leona. ¡°Leona, this is not your place to butt in!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I butt in? Are you telling me to just sit and watch when my own sister shamelessly asked my husband to choose her over me?¡± ¡°Oho! I told you to shut your mouth, didn¡¯t I?!¡± ¡°You are all too funny! It seems all of you are taking me as a joke here. Alright then, Ian, please bring my sister into the duchy just as she wanted. Please do me a favor.¡± His forehead wrinkled beautifully. ¡°Leona, do you really want her to be the one next to me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Only then Leona¡¯s father brightened up. ¡°What a wonderful idea, Leona! You should¡¯ve stepped down from that position from the start!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Leona! If I had known from the beginning that you would become a duchess, I don¡¯t mind being sold in your place. Because I¡¯m your sweet and nice sister!¡± They acted like a stray dog that shit and pissed on the ground to claim their territory. Then my mother approached me and caressed my hands affectionately. ¡°That¡¯s such a good idea! Leona, you¡¯ve suffered a lot in the Duchy, right? Now let¡¯s leave everything behind and come back home with us, okay?¡± ¡°Did you plan to do this from the beginning?¡± I was genuinely puzzled by how fast they changed their attitude. ¡°No way! But as you know, your sister is very clever, and she came up with this idea. It¡¯s a very wise idea so everyone, including Leona, can be happy.¡± ¡°Clever!? Are you kidding me?¡± Meanwhile, Jane was brimming with confidence and puffed her chest out as if she was already a duchess. Looking at her shamelessness, I grimaced and clicked my tongue. ¡°I have no intention of going back to the family that sold me! And I never said I¡¯d give my place to you!¡± ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?!¡± Jane, who thought the duchess¡¯ spot had become hers, snapped. ¡°You¡¯re too impatient! This is why you should listen to what people say until the end! I asked to bring you into the duchy, but I never said you can replace my position as a duchess!¡± Looking at my sneering face, Jane¡¯s face became horribly distorted. ¡°What?¡± ¡°A maid. That¡¯s perfect for you!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Hey? I am the Duchess! Watch your mouth, Jane Selen!¡± The Duke, who had been puzzled by my earlier request, took a step back with a relaxed face. As if he had entrusted everything to me. ¡°W-What did you say¡­.?¡± ¡°Shameless, foolish and boring! You came all the way to my home and made a ruckus, so I thought at least you¡¯d show me something interesting, but you¡¯re worse than our five-year-old Rere!¡± I quietly contemplated my family. It was funny to see them blinking in embarrassment as if they had been sprayed with dung water. ¡°It¡¯d be much better if you stick to your actual plan. If you kept pretending to be poor and begged me, who knows if I would help you? But how can you stoop even lower by lusting for my husband?¡± The Selen couple and Jane blinked vacantly as if they were frantically seeking someone to blame for this situation. ¡°You¡¯ll only get sick if you¡¯re too greedy. So stop being greedy! How pitiful is it to see your stomach burst?¡± I blinked my eyes indifferently. ¡°Yes! Your sister is at fault here! We won¡¯t be greedy anymore, so just give us the money!¡± They seemed to understand me only after I showed them my imposing attitude. Of course, I would never help them even if they groveled at my feet. ¡°Money, huh? What can I do? I have no affection left for the Selen family. Even if the Duke gives me a lot of money, I won¡¯t spend a dime on you! Honestly, I don¡¯t care if you die!¡± ¡°Ha..what did you say?¡± ¡°Are you fooling with us!¡± ¡°No, rather, I didn¡¯t say anything. But you persist in getting the wrong idea and get angry when things don¡¯t go your way. Thanks to you, I had a lot of fun!¡± It wasn¡¯t exactly a grand revenge, but I was happy that I could at least crush their hopes. ¡°Y-You bitch¡­!¡± ¡°Did you really think I would help you if you told me everything? Are you fools?¡± ¡°Leona!¡± ¡°I knew this was gonna happen!¡± Leona¡¯s parents and Jane were busy screaming over each other. Shameless humans. They did not even reflect on what they did to Leona in the past. Whining and crying when things don¡¯t go their way like a 5-year-old. There was no bigger bullshit than what they were spouting. ¡°Shut up, Jane! This is all your fault!¡± My father blamed Jane as if he had waited for this excuse. ¡°Why is it my fault? She is the weird one!¡± ¡°Leona wouldn¡¯t have done that if you hadn¡¯t acted up in the middle!¡± Seeing them busy fighting with each other, I couldn¡¯t help but smirk. Perhaps she noticed my expression, because Jane turned her head toward me. ¡°A-Are you laughing?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That crazy bitch Leona is laughing at us! She must be amused seeing us like this! Y-Your Excellency! D-Do you really think that a woman with such a filthy character like her is a suitable duchess?!¡± Jane yelled and pointed a finger at me as if catching a weakness. At the same time, the Duke walked closer to me and smiled affectionately. ¡°I only need my beloved woman to be my Duchess. She¡¯s also a mother that my child loves. I don¡¯t need anything else. Many women coveted the duchess position, but no one is as perfect as she is!¡± ¡°B-But¡­she is!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me if she¡¯s an orphan! Leona is all I need! I don¡¯t love her because of her family background, I love ¡®Leona¡¯ for who she really is.¡± My heart was pounding. Without realizing it, I couldn¡¯t help but let my face show how touched I was. I couldn¡¯t deny that I was truly moved by his declaration. Perhaps he felt the sudden change in my expression, but the Duke smiled sweetly at me. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­he¡¯s Luca?¡¯ In my mind, there was no doubt that he was the Duke. But sometimes he showed signs that he might be a different person. For example, a smile that only Luca could give me. And an expression that made my heart flutter. I had vowed to not fall in love until I healed from my tragic death or the tragic accident that crippled me, but Luca¡¯s smile was the only thing that broke my iron heart. ¡®Come to think of it, there¡¯s no way that the Duke would come here for me.¡¯ Now I could see that he was different. ¡°Leona.¡± When I take a good look at him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to talk with them anymore.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°My wife must be feeling dizzy from all the nonsense you¡¯re spouting. We should put an end to this conversation.¡± He held my waist and turned lightly. Then he rang the bell under the table near the sofa. Soon, knights entered from outside. ¡°Did you call for us, Your Excellency?¡± ¡°Yes. You should see these guests out with care.¡± ¡°No! You can¡¯t kick us out like this! I¡¯m dead meat if I just leave with nothing!¡± Leona¡¯s father yelled and struggled to push away those who caught him. ¡°Please help me out just once. Duke! Since you took my daughter, please just help me out this once¡­.!¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s my wife¡¯s choice to help you or not. What should we do, Leona? Do you want to help them?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 67 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 67 If you asked me what I wanted to do, the answer was obvious. The Selen family who had been yelling at me suddenly became mute while putting on sad eyes like a puppy in the rain. Of course, Jane still looked as hostile as ever. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. What do you think I should do?¡± I wanted to torture them more with false hope. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you want to give them any help.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°I can tell just by looking at your eyes.¡± His fingers gently caressed my cheek. Even though he pretended to be confident, his fingers were trembling. At that moment, I was convinced. This man was Luca. His eyes and appearance both resembled the Duke, but he was radiating with the kindness that only Luca had. ¡°Leona.¡± When he called me again, I finally made up my mind. ¡°Kick them out.¡± ¡°As my wife wishes.¡± He shook his hands as if dealing with a trivial matter, and the knights started to drag them out. ¡°H-Hold on! Don¡¯t you remember who raised you, Leona?!¡± You raised her worse than a dog, though. ¡°You can¡¯t be like this!¡± How do you expect different treatment when you sold your own daughter? ¡°You¡¯ll regret it! I was so embarrassed because of you! You..!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been working to death and suffered so many unspeakable things because of you. So there¡¯s nothing to fear now. It¡¯s no use trying to scare me with any threats.¡± Goodbye, my dear family. I even waved my hands to them and laughed. They were dragged away still unable to realize their situation. ¡°Do you have money?¡± ¡°Money?¡± The Duke tilted his head. Hearing the word ¡®money¡¯, Leona¡¯s father grabbed and held on to the door casing, turning his head back. ¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯re still my daughter! Give me your money!¡± Meanwhile, the Duke took a small wallet out of his pocket. ¡°How much do you need? This is what I have right now.¡± He opened his wallet that was filled with gold coins. I pulled one gold coin from it and headed to my father who extended one of his hands. ¡°What are you doing!¡± ¡°I want to give you money.¡± ¡°Yeah! Come on. Where¡¯s the money bag?!¡± As he let go of his grip on the door, I placed one gold coin on his hand. ¡°Hey! What is this!¡± ¡°You said you were very hungry. Please have an enjoyable dinner with your family before heading home.¡± ¡°Leona!¡± ¡°Then, go home safely. Knights, remove them.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I felt relieved seeing them getting dragged away without even letting go of the gold coin. I hope this could compensate for Leona¡¯s life even a little bit. The sound of their screams resounded in the hallway, and I waved at them for a long time. ¡°Are you feeling a little better?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± I turned around to face the Duke. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Luca.¡± ¡°Luca?¡± ¡°Until when are you going to fool me? They¡¯ve moved away, and you don¡¯t have to pretend anymore.¡± His eyes trembled after I spoke. He looked at me for a long time. ¡°If it¡¯s hard to talk here, should we go inside and talk?¡± ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Since when did you know I was Luca, Ms. Leona?¡± In an instant, his tone became friendly again. ¡°So I was right.¡± ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t know until the end.¡± ¡°Because Luca is the only one who speaks in such a sweet tone to me.¡± The duke¡¯s red eyes were like burning flames. A flame that would burn everything to the ground. However, the red eyes that Luca had right now were more like a furnace. It gave warmth to people around him. ¡°I¡¯m touched that you recognized me even though I didn¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°Luca.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you. Your eyes¡­are they originally red? Or¡­¡± I wondered why he could change his eye color so easily. Even the Duke didn¡¯t seem to be bothered as if it happened often. ¡°Do you like this appearance? Leona. I will gladly live the way you want me to.¡± ¡°Luca¡­I like it as long as it¡¯s Luca. It doesn¡¯t matter if your eyes are red or golden.¡± ¡°How was my appearance today?¡± ¡°You look perfect. I was fooled at first. Honestly, I didn¡¯t think that the Duke would come here for me, but Luca¡¯s disguise worked so well that I thought you really were the Duke standing for me.¡± He grinned, perhaps delighted by my words. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. To answer your question, my eyes are originally red. The golden eyes are the fake ones.¡± ¡°¡­That means you look exactly like the Duke, don¡¯t you¡­? Luca, this might sound absurd, but¡­are you secretly his twin brother who was abandoned when you were young? Then you went to the duchy for revenge¡­¡± I was so serious. But Luca only smiled so brightly that his eyes crinkled up. ¡°Sometimes, Ms. Leona tends to say absurd things. If that¡¯s the truth, I wouldn¡¯t have let the Duke know that my eyes are red.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­does he know?¡± ¡°I think you sound disappointed.¡± ¡°A little. I was going to ask Luca to steal the Duke¡¯s position!¡± His hand approached my cheek calmly. ¡°Do you want that?¡± ¡°My heart fluttered earlier.¡± ¡°¡­Me too. My heart fluttered when I called you my wife.¡± ¡°But Luca and the duke are different persons. That¡¯s too bad. Then, shall we go now?¡± My heart was beating so hard hearing Luca answering my questions honestly. I shouldn¡¯t have loved him. Rere was supposed to be the only one for me, but without realizing it, I already poured out my feelings to him. So as if nothing had happened, I smiled and walked ahead of him. ¡°I want to see Rere quickly.¡± ¡°Leona will leave someday, right?¡± The voice that called my name was calmer than ever. ¡°If I tell you honestly, will you tell the Duke? Well, I have no problem even if you tell him.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not like I won¡¯t leave just because he tells me not to. I just want the Duke to give up his feelings for me.¡± ¡°¡­So you¡¯re determined to leave in the end.¡± The fact the Duke had feelings for me did not really bother him. He was more bothered by my plan to leave. ¡°If I become a Duke, will you still leave then?¡± ¡°¡­Luca can¡¯t be Duke. Luca is Luca.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But I¡¯ve become a little greedy after I called you my wife.¡± ¡°Then steal it in a cool way. Who knows? He might revoke my position as a contract duchess?¡± His eyes that only looked at me affectionately shook greatly. ¡°Don¡¯t regret saying that.¡± ¡°Are you really going to steal the Duke¡¯s position?¡± ¡°No way.¡± He said that, but the atmosphere around him changed in an instant. Because of that, I stared at him blankly and stopped walking. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, let¡¯s go. But Luca¡­.don¡¯t ever do anything reckless, okay?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± No one could ever steal the Duke¡¯s position. And Luca was¡­just a knight. An unknown anxiety struck me, but I tried hard to erase it. I didn¡¯t think he truly loved me, so he wouldn¡¯t do something reckless for my sake. At that time, from a distance, Rere ran toward me. ¡°Big~ Bu~nny~¡± Running with Ugly in her arms, Rere smiled brighter than ever. As the distance neared, Rere jumped to me without slowing down. ¡°Why did you take so long!¡± ¡°Rere, I¡¯m sorry. Did you wait for a long time?¡± ¡°Yeeah! I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time! I was worried if Big Bunny was too soft on those people!¡± ¡°Really? Fortunately, I scolded them just as Rere taught me.¡± ¡°Big Bunny, did you scold your family?¡± ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re so mean that I can¡¯t even call them my family.¡± ¡°But did you just let them go? You should¡¯ve at least thrown poop water on them!¡± ¡°Huh? But my family didn¡¯t do anything other than speak badly, though?¡± ¡°Still! Gosh, why are there so many bad people in the world! Even family could be mean to other family members! Don¡¯t let them slide next time, okay?!¡± I leaned down and held Rere in my arms. ¡°Okay, Rere!¡± ¡°Hihi~ my pretty bunny is learning well. Ah, but you know what? It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been alone without Big Bunny, right?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°So I thought of something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you know why we met?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Rere prayed everyday and asked God to let me have a mom who loves me. That¡¯s why we met!¡± ¡°But you said you don¡¯t believe in god?¡± When Rere said that, she averted her gaze elsewhere as if embarrassed. ¡°That¡¯s because he made me meet Big Bunny so late¡­but I believe in God now!¡± Rere smiled brightly. Even her white teeth were lovely. ¡°Anyway! I always wondered who my mom was. But I guess God really loves Rere. Because he sent me a pretty bunny!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 68 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 68 Rather than Rere, I guess God truly loved me. Because he allowed me to meet my bundle of happiness, Rere. After meeting Rere, I got to know the meaning of true love and the love of family that I had never experienced before. So I rubbed Rere¡¯s cheek with my cheek. ¡°I¡¯m so happy!¡± ¡°I¡¯m happier than Big Bunny!¡± As if returning my heart, she pulled her cheek away from mine before kissing my cheek. ¡°By the way, Big Bunny. Why are you coming with Luca?¡± ¡°Oh. Luca came to help me when I was meeting my family.¡± ¡°What is my daddy doing at times like this!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I just responded uninterestedly. It was highly unlikely that his presence would have been of any help anyway. ¡°Hmm. But how do you know that Mom is with Luca?¡± ¡°No, I had no idea! I just can feel it.¡± ¡°Can you really differentiate between Luca and Daddy?¡± ¡°Yup! Luca is relaxed, unlike Daddy! Luca never made stupid excuses such as ¡®Rere that, Rere this¡¯ just like Daddy always says! And Luca is more handsome than Daddy!¡± She was right. But their appearance was identical¡­ I looked at Luca for a while then turned my attention to Rere, ¡°¡­Your daddy and Luca look similar now, matter how I look at them.¡± ¡°No! Luca is a little more handsome!¡± Rere grinned so brightly, and shook her index finger right and left. ¡°Can¡¯t you differentiate them, Big Bunny?¡± ¡°No, I definitely can! That goes without saying. So Rere knew that Luca¡¯s eyes were red all along?¡± ¡°Yeah! They were red at first!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Young Miss. I kept my red eyes in the past, but I deliberately changed the color because my appearance resembles His Excellency so much.¡± I looked at him wordlessly. What are you, really? How can you resemble the duke so much? His sweet gaze touched me again. Whenever I saw him, my cheeks turned red because of our earlier exchange. Unable to overcome my shyness, I hurriedly turned to Rere. ¡°By the way, Rere.¡± ¡°Uh huh!¡± ¡°Did my Rere wait for Big Bunny in the room?¡± ¡°Yeaah! I waited sooo patiently. I¡¯m sure Big Bunny will come¡­.right!? Big Bunny will never leave Rere, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Even if Rere hates it, I¡¯ll stick to Rere like glue. Until one day Rere doesn¡¯t need Mom anymore.¡± Hearing my words, Rere puffed her cheeks grumpily. ¡°Rere isn¡¯t like that! Even if Rere grows up and marries a cool guy, Rere is going to live with Big Bunny!¡± ¡°Really? But, Rere¡­didn¡¯t you say you were going to marry Luca?¡± ¡°Uh¡­that¡¯s true. Now that I think about it again, I don¡¯t think Luca is the one.¡± Luca seemed embarrassed by Rere¡¯s sudden announcement. ¡°Am I not good enough, Miss?¡± ¡°Yeah. Luca is old! I don¡¯t like older people! I prefer a young boy who listens well!¡± ¡°I-Is that so?¡± ¡°Yup! Even though I don¡¯t really like childish people¡­uh, whatever!¡± ¡°But, Rere. I feel lonely already.¡± Rere, her hair bound in tiny braids, shook her head. ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± ¡°When I think about my Rere getting married¡­¡± ¡°Hihi! Don¡¯t worry. Because Rere is not going to get married right away. And if Mom is that sad, Mom can just give me a younger brother, right?¡± ¡°¡­Uh, huh?¡± The heat crept up my face at Rere¡¯s bombshell remark. ¡°A younger brother?!¡± ¡°I want a younger brother, too. I wonder how squishy he¡¯ll be?¡± ¡°B-But¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Rere isn¡¯t a baby. I know about this very well.¡± ¡°W-What do you know¡­.?¡± ¡°Marriage doesn¡¯t mean you must have a baby.¡± What should I say? When children asked how babies are created, adults always said the storks deliver babies. A cold sweat flowed down my back. ¡°Big Bunny. Why are you so surprised?¡± ¡°Ah, huh? Nothing. I¡¯m not surprised at all¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m having fun seeing Big Bunny¡¯s reaction.¡± ¡°¡­.Rere. How can you have fun with my reaction?¡± Rere lifted the corner of her mouth. ¡°Anyways. Do you know where babies come from, Rere?¡± ¡°Yup! Of course I do!¡± ¡°H-How can you get babies?¡± How much should I say to a five-year-old? I can¡¯t just explain it to her the same way I would to a teenager. I looked at Luca and the nanny. I pleaded with them silently and earnestly, asking for their help, but the two avoided my gaze simultaneously. E-Excuse me¡­why are you avoiding me? ¡°I¡¯m telling you about the baby! Man and woman get the baby when they hug each other tightly while sleeping!¡± ¡°It¡¯s from the stork¡­.huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a stork?¡± ¡°Oh no. B-but, what do you mean by hugging each other while sleeping?¡± ¡°What do you think! Rere is so smart, right? Ha. Being too smart is troublesome. I¡¯ve read a lot of books with Big Bunny, and I think I¡¯ve become too smart. Is there a man who can be a match to me now?¡± I automatically smiled watching Rere shrug her shoulders boastfully. ¡°That¡¯s right! Since when did my Rere become this smart? Talking about where babies come from, it¡¯s true that we get it by hugging our loved ones tightly. How did you know that?¡± ¡°I read it in books! That¡¯s why¡­I hope Daddy and Big Bunny will hug each other quickly. If I have a younger brother, I promise to love him.¡± With a gloomy face, Rere fiddled with my long hair. ¡°Mom only needs Rere. Rere is the only one in Mom¡¯s life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also good¡­.but still¡­¡± ¡°Why do you want a younger brother?¡± Rere spread her ten fingers excitedly. ¡°Because it¡¯s cute! lovely! squishy! and what else is there¡­..ah! I can play with him all day, and I won¡¯t be bored anymore! Uh..what else..¡± At times like this, her mind was so pure like a little angel. How lonely must she have been? So I hugged Rere even more tightly. ¡°So you were lonely.¡± ¡°No! I wasn¡¯t lonely! It¡¯s just¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t give you a little brother right away, but I just want you to know that I love you more than anyone else! I will play with you so you won¡¯t ever be lonely!¡± ¡°Yippie! This is why I love Big Bunny!¡± ¡°Do you confess that you love me now?¡± ¡°Who said I love you! Oh, I mean¡­ahh whatever!¡± As if she had nothing to say this time, Rere only waved her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t you love me, though?¡± ¡°N-Not exactly love, but¡­ I think I love you a little bit.¡± ¡°Is that so? But my love for Rere is greater than the sky!¡± ¡°Then¡­Rere¡¯s love for Mom is as big as my palm!¡± Rere pouted her lips as if she didn¡¯t want to lose. ¡°Great! Then I need to work hard so that Rere¡¯s heart will grow as big as the sky!¡± ¡°Yeah! You really need to work hard! By the way, what are we going to do today?¡± ¡° How about hide-and-seek?¡± Rere¡¯s eyes gleamed at my words. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Some people will hide, and one person will look for them!¡± Rere seemed to have separation anxiety due to what happened to her all this time. So I needed to let her know that even if I was away for a while, I would always return to her. I would never throw her away and leave her alone. So I came up with this game. It was a simple game where the tagger just needed to find someone who was hiding, and it was a pretty good game to relieve the child¡¯s separation anxiety. Because I could unconsciously instill the idea that I will always find Rere and return to her side while we were playing this. ¡°It sounds fun! Can I hide anywhere?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s play inside the room. Let¡¯s invite the nanny and the maids to play with us. Shall we ask Luca to join us too?¡± ¡°Yeah! Sounds great!¡± ¡°Luca, do you want to play with us?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As soon as he answered, Rere jumped down from my arms. ¡°Yeay!¡± Rere, jumping up and down excitedly, ran to her room. As soon as she arrived at her room, Rere changed to light clothes that didn¡¯t make any sound as much as possible. ¡°Rere is ready! Big Bunny, are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes! Then close the door so no one can leave. I¡¯ll be the first tagger, so people in the room including Rere must hide. The first person to be caught must be the next tagger, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± ¡°That sounds fun, Ms. Leona!¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡± The nanny, Luca, May and Rere exclaimed one by one. The four looked very enthusiastic. I smiled at the sight of them being enthusiastic to join in children¡¯s play. Then I turned around to face the bedroom door. ¡°I will count until ten. Hurry up and hide.¡± There were already sounds of footsteps moving rapidly as if the game already started. ¡°Hide well. I might see your hair. One, two, three¡­.ten! I¡¯m going to find you now!¡± As soon as I counted to ten, I turned my body around. I looked around the quiet room slowly. ¡°Where are you?¡± I already knew where to look right away. I crept up to Rere, who was hiding behind the window curtain. That was usually the first place children hide when they play hide-and-seek. ¡°Rere! I found you!¡± I hugged the tiny body behind the curtain right away. ¡°Ahh! How??! How did you find me?¡± ¡°Well. Because Mom loves Rere so much that Mom could easily find Rere!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 69 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 69 ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! Would Rere help mom find the rest of them?¡± ¡°Yeah! Rere saw everything! Leave it to Rere!¡± There was no hesitation in her steps. The first person that Rere found was May, who hid under the bed. ¡°I found May!¡± ¡°Oh no, Young Miss¡­.¡± ¡°Hehe. Next, nanny!¡± Rere hurriedly headed to the bathroom attached to the bedroom. There was no way she didn¡¯t spot someone hiding inside the bathtub right away. ¡°I found you, Nanny!¡± ¡°Miss¡­you¡¯ve already seen everything, isn¡¯t it unfair that you¡¯re the one who finds us like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to me! Hehe. Next, Luca! Wow! This is more fun than I thought!¡± Rere smiled brightly and headed to the dressing room. She rummaged through the clothes and stopped right before Luca standing like a mannequin. ¡°Found you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a person.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re Luca, though?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just a doll.¡± At his words, Rere jumped to hug Luca tightly. ¡°Are you really a doll? Then can I throw you into the fire?¡± ¡°Oh, no. You can¡¯t do that, Miss!¡± ¡°Hehe. Luca is terrible at acting!¡± ¡°Too bad! I thought my disguise was perfect. By the way, how could you find me, Miss?¡± Luca smiled pleasantly as he made eye contact with Rere ¡°Ah! I just got the feeling like Luca is going to be here! Besides, there¡¯s no such handsome mannequin in my dressing room!¡± Rere released her tight hug and grabbed his hand to head back to the bedroom. The nanny and May, who were caught first, were still standing there. ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn now! I¡¯ll be the next tagger because I¡¯m the first one to be caught, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Rere is so clever!¡± ¡°Hehe. I¡¯m really good at finding things, so I¡¯ll give you 20 seconds. But in return, you have to hide well, okay?¡± ¡°That sounds good!¡± Rere ran to where I was standing before and turned around. ¡°Let¡¯s get started! One, two¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not waste any time. Everyone, split up and hide!¡± Everyone scattered after I said that. As if they had no willingness to be caught this time, the three moved to their respective positions faster than before. Meanwhile, I quietly looked around for a place to hide myself. There were many spots that weren¡¯t easy to find, but I purposely sat on the window frame. It was a place that Rere could find easily, but not obvious enough to disappoint the child. Then I hid myself behind the curtains. My feet couldn¡¯t be seen, but the light shining through the window showed my figure behind the curtains. ¡°I¡¯m going to find you now!¡± Rere¡¯s light steps got closer but then got farther away. I purposely moved my body so Rere could know. Only then, Rere, who was about to go somewhere else, approached me. Then, just as I did earlier, Rere jumped and found me behind the curtain. ¡°Found you, Big Bunny!¡± ¡°How could you find me?¡± ¡°Rere could find Mom right away because Rere loves Mom so much.¡± I couldn¡¯t hide my smile when I heard Rere copy what I had said earlier. ¡°Didn¡¯t you always say that you don¡¯t love Mom?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know! Let¡¯s find the next person!¡± As if embarrassed, Rere grabbed my hand tightly and dragged me off the window frame. Rather than a confession from a man, Rere¡¯s sweet words made my heart pound more. ¡°Okay. By the way, Rere. How did you know right away?¡± ¡°Because Rere is smart!¡± I wanted the child to be proud of herself, so I exaggerated a lot to push her self-esteem. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you found me. That¡¯s really amazing!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re curious¡­do you want me to tell you?¡± ¡°Yeah! Mom is really curious!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing special! I could see Big Bunny¡¯s body behind the curtain!¡± ¡°Oh, my. Is that it?¡± ¡°Yeah! I told you I¡¯m good at finding things!¡± As expected, Rere smiled so brightly that her cheeks seemed to explode. ¡°Then should we find the next person? This time, Big Bunny must help me!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The excited Rere moved her feet faster than before. Surprisingly, the others seemed to be hiding so well that it was harder to find them this time. The hardest person to find was Luca, who was lying confidently on the sofa. He was lying down while covered in a blanket, so we couldn¡¯t find him for a long time. The game lasted for quite a while, even until nightfall. At first, we played in Rere¡¯s room and then expanded to the next room¡­. We played on and on like that. A few days later. The Duke, who had been quiet for a while, invited us to have lunch together. I didn¡¯t want to do that, but I couldn¡¯t possibly refuse the owner¡¯s invitation. As soon as I woke up, Rere and I had to prepare. ¡°Soooo annoying¡­..¡± Rere was busy complaining in my arms even after waking up so late. ¡°Say, Rere¡­ should we just not go?¡± Please, say you don¡¯t want to go. Rere, you¡¯re the only one who could go against the owner of this house. However, Rere always confounded my expectations. Rere, who had her head buried in my chest until a little while ago, straightened her back suddenly. ¡°No! If it¡¯s a place where Mom and Daddy could meet, of course I¡¯ll go! It¡¯s been a while since Big Bunny met my daddy. If I don¡¯t go, Big Bunny won¡¯t go either!¡± She had me all figured out. ¡°¡­Look. There¡¯s a wrinkle of truth in Big Bunny¡¯s forehead.¡± ¡°Hmm? Wrinkle of truth?¡± ¡°It¡¯s when Big Bunny is caught not liking something, Big Bunny will always show wrinkles like this.¡± Rere wriggled her eyebrows and puckered her lips. ¡°Do I look like that?¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± Rere scrubbed my forehead from side to side with her tiny hands. ¡°So put aside your wrinkle of truth. We have to eat with my daddy. That way, Big Bunny will have feelings for my daddy even a little.¡± In the meantime, Rere¡¯s hair was tied cutely on both sides by the nanny. ¡°By the way, Rere.¡± ¡°Mmmh!¡± ¡°What if Mom says Mom doesn¡¯t like your daddy?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m gonna change my daddy!¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°Since Big Bunny likes Luca, I should change my daddy to Luca!¡± ¡°¡­Shouldn¡¯t you give up on me rather than your daddy?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t give up on my mom! But I can give up on my daddy!¡± Rere was smiling widely enough to show all her tiny teeth. She hugged my waist and buried her head in my chest again. ¡°Because you¡¯re my mom.¡± ¡°Okay¡­I got it.¡± ¡°But if Mom doesn¡¯t like my daddy¡­I don¡¯t need my daddy anymore. Luca is not bad either. Please don¡¯t leave me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ever leave you.¡± My dear Rere, I couldn¡¯t love your daddy, but I won¡¯t ever give up on my love for you! ¡°Then let¡¯s go eat now! Let¡¯s go meet my daddy!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± What can I do even if I hate him? He was the father of my beloved Rere. At least, I should be able to do the bare minimum. With such determination, we headed to the dining hall. When we sat next to the Duke who had already begun eating, the servants served a lot of food in front of us. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve been eating comfortably for a while.¡± I drank the water first with a face full of discomfort because a certain someone insisted on eating together even when I clearly declined his offer. ¡°Of course I feel comfortable if you keep watching me like that.¡± I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever feel comfortable around him. ¡°Anyway, how have you been?¡± I just realized that it had been quite a while since I met the Duke. Luca was always next to me, so I didn¡¯t even feel his absence. ¡°Ah, yes. It¡¯s been a while, Duke.¡± ¡°I had a lot of things to deal with after the party ended. I have to wrap up the matters regarding Duke Arvida as well.¡± The Duke, who would usually visit the room late at night, hadn¡¯t appeared recently. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to visit Rere, then?¡± ¡°He came last time!¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± ¡°Yes! When Big Bunny met Big Bunny¡¯s family! I scolded him really hard that time.¡± ¡°What do you mean by scolding?¡± Rere, who was chewing the grilled salmon, hit the table with a fork and glared at the Duke. ¡°He never works and is always fooling around! I told him I don¡¯t want to see him anymore if he keeps messing around like that!¡± ¡°I-Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah! I heard Luca wrapped up the party last time, too. So I scolded him a lot! It¡¯s not attractive to keep postponing his work like that!¡± I burst into laughter at Rere¡¯s brutally honest words. ¡°So that¡¯s why you never came?¡± ¡°Ahem, that¡¯s true, but mainly it¡¯s because I am busy with work.¡± Perhaps satisfied with his answer, Rere started eating again. I wanted to praise the child for doing a great job, but I just responded roughly because I couldn¡¯t really say it aloud in front of the Duke. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°By the way, Princess Astra said she wanted to meet you. She wanted to properly apologize for her mistakes.¡± ¡°Did you promise that you wouldn¡¯t harm Duke Arvida¡¯s family if they apologize?¡± The Duke was shaking the bright red wine in a transparent wine glass and nodded slowly. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°Because I must have their official apology.¡± ¡°Official, huh?¡± ¡°I told them that I won¡¯t accept their apology if they don¡¯t get on their knees, so keep that in mind. They¡¯re going to visit you soon.¡± He was making decisions without asking me first, so I didn¡¯t really care about it. ¡°And tomorrow, all of us will go to the Imperial Palace, so make sure to prepare thoroughly.¡± Until, that is, he made the shocking announcement that we were going to the Imperial Palace! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 70 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 70 ¡°Why do we have to go to the Imperial Palace?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but respond sensitively to the phrase ¡®Imperial Palace¡¯. ¡°It¡¯s an order from His Majesty the Emperor to introduce Rere to the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Does it have anything to do with what you said last time?¡± I was afraid that Rere would understand what I said, so I glanced at her to read her expression. Fortunately, Rere didn¡¯t seem to know about our conversation as she was busy with her meal. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­I said it countless times before, didn¡¯t I? As expected¡­you¡¯re really so frustrating!¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not too late to go first and make a decision based on the situation. As you said, Rere herself could have wanted it.¡± You can¡¯t do that! If that happens, Rere will eventually become a villainess. The Crown Prince should never interfere with Rere¡¯s life. ¡°Can¡¯t the child decide for herself?¡± ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°His Majesty invited you to the Imperial Palace to play. What do you think? There are many fun things to do there. You can also meet His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± Rere, who smiled brightly with her cheeks full of food, answered. ¡°Hmm. I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, huh?? Y-You don¡¯t want to? Why?¡± ¡°No reason. I just don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°¡­Still. We have to go.¡± ¡°Why are you asking me then?¡± Rere put a cheese-covered meatball into her mouth and glared at him instantly. ¡°I thought you¡¯d love to go! There are so many fun things to do. There¡¯s a garden¡­¡± ¡°There are a lot of fun things here, too!¡± ¡°For example?¡± ¡°Big Bunny! It¡¯s fun because Big Bunny always plays different games with me everyday.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm. But still, Rere. Let¡¯s just go this once, hmm?¡± However, Rere put down the utensil she was using at once and swung her little finger from side to side. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna~¡± ¡°Just once, please. I already told His Majesty that we¡¯ll go!¡± ¡°Hmph. Really? If I don¡¯t go, will Daddy be embarrassed?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Ummmmm. I don¡¯t wanna go.¡± He was busy studying Rere¡¯s reaction as if he was very anxious to take the child to the Imperial Palace. ¡°Um, if Daddy grants me a wish, I will go to the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Wish? What is it?¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ll whisper to you when it¡¯s just the two of us, okay?!¡± ¡°Okay. Leona, Rere has decided to go. So that must be enough, right?¡± ¡°¡­H-Hold on! Rere.¡± As I was listening to the two in a daze, I hurriedly shook my head. ¡°Are you really going to go?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± I should¡¯ve stopped her earlier, but I was sure that Rere would reject it judging by her negative reaction. But to think that she agreed immediately with only one wish¡­. What should I say to stop Rere from going? ¡®This place is actually inside a novel, and Rere is going to fall for the Crown Prince and die miserably as a villainess.¡¯ Could I even say something like that? Then my gaze went to the child. She was a child who was supposed to do wicked things from an early age according to the novel. However, Rere had not said anything bad recently. Rather, the nanny and the maids were worried. She did say bad words from time to time, but she gradually was becoming like any child of her age. ¡®Maybe¡­it is possible to change.¡¯ I was swept by a strong premonition. I had a feeling that I might be able to change everyone¡¯s future¡­ ¡°Rere, do you really want to go?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± How did Rere meet the Crown Prince the first time? I thought it was mentioned briefly in the novel as a flashback scene¡­ Perhaps¡­she visited the Emperor with her daddy and got bored, so she wandered into the garden. There she met the Crown Prince who was in a tree reading a book. And it was said that the Emperor had planned it all. He did everything to connect Rere and the Crown Prince from the beginning. It was described in the middle of the novel. ¡®In conclusion, it¡¯d be fine as long as Rere doesn¡¯t go to the garden.¡¯ I was so convinced by that. ¡°Okay. If Rere really wants to go, then you can go.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I have a say in this, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. But instead, if Rere doesn¡¯t feel happy after her visit to the Imperial Palace, I promise I won¡¯t force her anymore.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure whether I should thank His Majesty for this, or should I consider this a misfortune. I alternately looked at him and Rere. What should I do in this situation? ¡°Then it¡¯s decided.¡± ¡°Can I go there too?¡± I asked again because I wasn¡¯t originally invited by the Emperor. ¡°Will it be okay with you? We¡¯re going to the Imperial Palace, after all.¡± ¡°Is there any reason to prevent me from going? I want to go as Rere¡¯s mother.¡± For a moment, all his movements stopped. ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no place that I can¡¯t go as the Duchess.¡± ¡°Of course. If you want to go, let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Alright. Rere, we¡¯ll go to the Imperial Palace tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yippie! I¡¯m going to play with Big Bunny~¡± Rere shouted. It felt as though she was more excited to go out and play with me rather than visiting the Imperial Palace itself. It will be fine as long as I do well. As I was getting all fired up, I shoved a large piece of steak into my mouth. ¡®I can change my daughter¡¯s future!¡¯ Of course, because of that I had an upset stomach that day. The next day. Since we were going to meet the Emperor, we should prepare to the fullest extent. Therefore, we had to wake up earlier to get ready. All preparation was complete after we painstakingly washed the sleepy Rere, dressed up, and even decorated our hair. ¡°Shall we go now?¡± I was convinced that this man still had no idea about the child¡¯s sleep schedule. ¡°Ha¡­next time you should make an appointment when Rere has already awakened!¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t people usually already rise at this time?¡± How could you compare Rere with someone used to waking up at dawn? ¡°Don¡¯t you know what time she wakes up?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I think I told you already.¡± ¡°¡­8 o¡¯clock?¡± ¡°¡­11 o¡¯clock. But you¡¯re telling us to be ready at 10 o¡¯clock¡­¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll keep that in mind next time.¡± He seemed to have come to his senses, but recently he had only returned to his ugly habits. He lost interest in his own child. As a father, how can he be indifferent to his own daughter more than his knight, Luca? ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± He reached out to me, mumbling as if he wanted to change the subject. ¡°I¡¯m carrying the child. Go ahead first, I¡¯ll catch up to you.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Rere was sleeping so soundly that she didn¡¯t even move in my arms. I covered the child with a thin blanket in case it was cold, and before I knew it, we arrived in front of the carriage. The Duke got into the carriage first and then reached out to me again. This time, I couldn¡¯t possibly get on the carriage without his help, so I held his hand and climbed into it. ¡°You can sit over there.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The carriage door closed as soon as we were all seated. The carriage rattled slowly as if not to wake the child. The clatter of the carriage wheels filled the silence between us. It was my second time to ride in the Duke¡¯s carriage. The first time was when Leona¡¯s family sold her to him. Come to think of it, when I suddenly opened my eyes, I already possessed Leona. ¡°Hoaaam¡­¡± ¡°Rere, are you waking up?¡± Upon realizing she was in a different place than usual, Rere slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Wow! I¡¯m in a carriage! I¡¯m really going outside!¡± Just like a child her age, she shouted and flailed her feet excitedly. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ridden a carriage often?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t got a chance to ride a carriage that often because I was sick. Daddy wouldn¡¯t allow it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Rere turned and leaned closer to the window, opening her eyes wide as she watched the scenery outside. As I looked out the window while holding Rere with one hand so the child wouldn¡¯t fall, I suddenly remembered the day Leona first rode in this carriage. ¡°By the way.¡± The Duke slowly turned his head. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Did you happen to notice anything strange when I first rode this carriage on my way to the duchy?¡± ¡°Something strange?¡± As the carriage picked up its speed, for some reason I was swept by a strange emotion which I couldn¡¯t understand no matter how much I pondered it. I was busy living my life for a while, so I couldn¡¯t really afford to worry about other things. But a few days after Leona¡¯s family came over and when I rode the carriage, I couldn¡¯t shake off these strange feelings. I suddenly took over Leona¡¯s body while riding this carriage. How is that possible? ¡°Something weird¡­¡± As if to recall that day, the Duke stroked his chin for a long time. ¡°Something did happen that I found a little strange. You were shaking anxiously and suddenly collapsed as if you were taking a nap. Then you abruptly opened your eyes wide and glared at me as though you were going to eat me up. It was pretty strange.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°Other than that, I didn¡¯t notice anything extraordinary. Of course, the way you acted when you first signed the contract and when you entered the duchy felt different¡­.¡± And at that moment, I recalled what Leona¡¯s family had said about how she often fainted. ¡®I think¡­I should find the people who treated Leona back then.¡¯ ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°¡­If you don¡¯t mind, can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°A favor?¡± ¡°Before I came to the duchy, my family must have called a doctor several times to treat me. Can you find that doctor?¡± ¡°That much is nothing for me.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡± The Duke shrugged his shoulders lightly and smiled. ¡°By the way, Leona. I think it¡¯s been a while since you last asked me for a favor. I think the first time was when you asked me to listen to the child, right?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°I can do anything for you. If you have something else to ask, just tell me.¡± ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡± Unlike before, the atmosphere between us had changed. The Duke looked out the window with a satisfied smile, and I also looked out the window where Rere was staring absorbed. After quite a long time had passed, the wagon slowly stopped as we had arrived at our destination. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 71 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 71 A large castle was seen through the window. Growing up, Leona had only seen the castle from a distance because commoners were prohibited from entering the Imperial Palace. ¡®It¡¯s the Imperial Palace that I couldn¡¯t even dream of approaching.¡¯ ¡°We have to confirm that this is Duke Petri¡¯s carriage. May I open the door?¡± The Duke, who had been watching Rere for a while, slowly rose from his seat. ¡°Open it.¡± As soon as the door opened, the grandiose Imperial Palace was fully revealed. I had never stepped into the Imperial Palace before, so I felt incredibly nervous as I observed the luxurious building in front of me. ¡°Big Bunny! My bunny!¡± ¡°Uh, yeah? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Why are you trembling so much?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trembling.¡± ¡°Stop trembling, it makes me dizzy!¡± Her tiny body was also trembling as she said that. The two of us were shaking like frightened rabbits. ¡°Rere is also trembling.¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m not nervous at all! Ah, this is¡­because¡­I¡¯m trembling because it¡¯s cold!¡± ¡°Mom is also cold!¡± At that time, while I was trying to loosen up the tension with a crappy lie, the Duke chimed in. ¡°¡­Is there anything to be nervous about?¡± Somehow, the way he casually asked was annoying. He might not be nervous because he came here often, but it was the first time for us. I was even apprehensive at the party. ¡°Just take it easy and enjoy the moment. That way, I¡¯m sure you will be less anxious than now.¡± What am I supposed to enjoy? How unlucky! At least, thanks to his useless encouragement, my tension was relieved! ¡°Listening to you makes me a little less nervous.¡± ¡°I guess you like my voice a lot.¡± ¡°You may think as you like.¡± It was the first time he ever became a useful human. I thought I should let him say whatever he likes. Meanwhile, Rere wrinkled her face at the Duke as if she had a similar thought to me. ¡°Rere will say thank you to Daddy.¡± ¡°Huh? What are you thanking me for? Is it because I brought you here?¡± ¡°No. Thank you for rambling nonsense to help me relax.¡± ¡°R-Rambling nonsense?¡± ¡°Just say anything. The more Daddy talks, the less nervous I am!¡± Rere smiled so brightly. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not just rambling nonsense!¡± ¡°Hurry up and do what you just did! I get angry every time Daddy opens his mouth, so I become less nervous.¡± Rere poured out her mind without holding back. The Duke seemed a little hurt by her harshness, but he just mumbled quietly and looked at Rere with sad eyes. ¡°Rere¡­what did you just say¡­¡± ¡°Now that we have Daddy who can¡¯t stop rambling nonsense, let¡¯s get out now!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s get going now. We shall meet His Majesty soon.¡± Although he was quite shocked by Rere¡¯s words, he obediently exited the carriage first just as Rere urged. Then Rere quickly followed him. ¡°Hold my hand.¡± ¡°No! Mom! Rere will hold Mom¡¯s hand. Here, hold my hand!¡± Perhaps she wanted to imitate the Duke, Rere raised both of her arms toward me which made her neck shrink like a turtle. But my hand couldn¡¯t reach her despite her efforts. ¡°Rere, let me do it because you¡¯re too short. Back off!¡± ¡°No thanks! I can reach it!¡± The Duke tried to stop Rere, but the problem lay in his way of speaking. It¡¯d be great if he could say, ¡®Daddy will hold you so we can hold hands together¡¯. Luca would definitely have said that, but the Duke only shook his head as if he didn¡¯t want to lose to his own daughter. ¡®At times like this, they¡¯re like uncle and nephew rather than father and daughter!¡¯ Now that uncle and nephew competed for me. In the meantime, thanks to the two bickering people, my tension was washed away. I¡¯m here with the Duke and Rere, so what am I so worried about? I didn¡¯t come here to play or to entertain the Emperor. I¡¯m here to protect my daughter. I wanted to prevent Rere from turning evil in the future. So my gaze naturally turned to Rere. So what if Rere¡¯s arms are a little short? It¡¯s fine because my arms are long. Slowly stepping down from the carriage alone, I leaned over to hold Rere¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you, Rere.¡± ¡°I knew my mom would choose me!¡± Rere smiled brightly and hugged me as if she was really in a good mood. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s not do this here! His Majesty will be waiting for us.¡± The Duke murmured bitterly as he held out again the hand that I had purposely ignored earlier. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Rere will hold Mom¡¯s hand and go!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± I held Rere¡¯s hand tightly before receiving his hand. At the sight of us ready to go, the servant bowed and guided us. The inside of the Imperial Palace was more majestic than even indicated by its exterior. There were many portraits of great figures on the wall, and the floor was covered with a red carpet. Rere was busy looking around the surroundings as if she was also charmed by the splendid Imperial Palace. How long did we walk? It didn¡¯t seem like five minutes had passed, but we already arrived at our destination. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived. I will announce your arrival to His Majesty the Emperor first.¡± ¡°Announce it!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The servant, who entered through a side door, slowly opened the main door in front of us. At last, I met the most powerful man in the book. The Emperor. ¡°I see His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°I see His Majesty the Emperor¡­.¡± ¡°I see His Majesty.¡± Starting with the Duke, Rere and I uttered our greeting one after another. As if fearing the launch of a surprise attack, the Emperor sat awkwardly in a room with only one table present. ¡°Oho! Duke! Welcome! Come and sit here!¡± At his behest, the Duke did not hesitate to rush us to the table. Only then could I see the Emperor properly. A man with a dignified aura seemed like he was ten years older than the Duke. His glistening golden hair clearly announced he was of noble birth. And that very man¡¯s attention turned to me and Rere. ¡°I always wanted to see you again, so I¡¯m very delighted! It¡¯s been a while since the last time I met Princess Rebecca, but she seems to be growing so well. Moreover, I¡¯m really pleased to see the Duchess as well.¡± ¡°I am very pleased to see you, too.¡± In my ignorance of court etiquette, there was nothing I could do except bow my head as soon as our eyes met. ¡°Hoho! No need to be so scared, Duchess. The Duke is more like a close friend of mine, so you may be comfortable with me.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a scary person! I hope the Duchess can feel at ease with me.¡± ¡°How can I¡­with Your Majesty¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s even more uncomfortable if you firmly draw a line like this.¡± At his comment, I raised my head immediately. If you say so, then I¡¯ll take it easy. ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty. I¡¯m worried that I might make a mistake because I haven¡¯t fully learned court etiquette yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not a person who would be so rigid toward my friend¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± At this point, he¡¯ll bear with me no matter what I say. However, thanks to my determination to avoid the worst scenario, I stretched my shoulders more confidently than ever. More importantly, my previous pressure and tension subsided when I saw the Emperor. ¡®Is it because he¡¯s just a character in a book? Or¡­.¡¯ For some unknown reason, I was feeling comfortable and peaceful when I faced the Emperor. ¡°How has the Princess been? It¡¯s been a while since I saw you last.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen her when she was younger. So Rere won¡¯t remember, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Is that so? Now that I think about it, she¡¯s gotten bigger.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already been three years since Your Majesty saw Rere.¡± ¡°I see. But I feel like the Princess is bigger than kids her age.¡± ¡°Is that so? She¡¯s still a small child to me.¡± The Duke looked at Rere. I thought Rere would be as nervous as I was, but Rere didn¡¯t seem to mind much. The child¡¯s eyes turned to the Emperor. ¡°Princess. I heard that you had a party recently.¡± ¡°Yeah! Oops, I mean, yes! We had a party!¡± ¡°Rere, you have to maintain your courtesy.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Regardless of the time and place, the Duke stared at Rere as if scolding her. The child just met someone who was higher in status than herself. A five-year-old kid. That kind of mistake was nothing serious, but the Duke did not take his sharp gaze away from Rere. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Duke! Children should just grow up like children. You may talk comfortably, Princess.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course. You can talk comfortably. My son is at the same age as you, so you can be comfortable with me just like your father.¡± Rere¡¯s eyes glistened at his words. ¡°I heard you had a party recently. As I recall the Princess never held a party before because she wasn¡¯t interested. Even if I invited you, you didn¡¯t want to attend.¡± ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s right! But now Rere has a mom! That¡¯s why we had a party!¡± ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s how it was. Then, If I send an invitation to the Imperial party next time, would you attend then?¡± ¡°Yes! Please invite me with my mom!¡± The child smiled brightly as she looked up to me. ¡°The Princess seems to cherish the new Duchess a lot.¡± ¡°Yes. My child cherishes her a lot, Your Majesty.¡± the Duke responded, ¡°You seem to cherish her as well, Duke.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­..¡± The Duke hesitated for a while and glanced at me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer all my questions. I didn¡¯t mean to embarrass the Duke. Let¡¯s sit down first. I can¡¯t leave my precious guests standing!¡± Somehow, Rere seemed to be having fun when the Emperor¡¯s eyes were on her. As expected, Rere was such a tough kid. But that thought did not last long. As soon as we sat down, he quickly took his gaze off Rere when the tea was served. The Emperor was busy talking to the Duke, so we had to sit still and quietly sip the tea. I felt uncomfortable and bored. It was already tough for me to endure, so it must be worse for Rere. Just as depicted in the novel, Rere stamped her feet under the table. After about half an hour and the tea had cooled, the Emperor exclaimed as if he had just forgotten something. ¡°Oh my! The Princess must have been so bored! I still have a lot to discuss with the Duke.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s alright, would you like to go to the garden and play there? There are a lot of things to see there.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 72 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 72 At his words, Rere nodded. ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s go there!¡± According to the novel, she met the Crown Prince there. It was planned by the Emperor. Therefore, there¡¯s no way I could view the Emperor in a good light. Now I know why I got a little relaxed when I met him. ¡®Because I didn¡¯t think highly of him. I wasn¡¯t worried about looking good in front of the person who would harass Rere.¡¯ That¡¯s the only conclusion that came to my mind. ¡°Hoho. You¡¯re a brave princess. Then I¡¯ll let a maid accompany you. Please come back safely.¡± At the time, I hurriedly intervened. ¡°I will go with my child, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor, who had been pretending to be a caring person and showing his benevolent smile, suddenly tensed. ¡°My, my. Seems like you¡¯re afraid to leave your child alone, Duchess.¡± The tactless Duke grabbed my wrist. Since I wasn¡¯t the one who grabbed his hand, I shook it off easily and replied with my utmost courtesy. ¡°Even so, she¡¯s still too young, so I feel uncomfortable if I can¡¯t see her around.¡± ¡°Other people will think you¡¯re truly a mother and daughter.¡± ¡°Because she is my precious daughter.¡± ¡°Daughter, huh?¡± The Emperor kept trying to block me as if he really didn¡¯t want me to leave my spot. ¡°You seem to really care about the Princess.¡± It sounded to me he was saying ¡®Why are you going too far when you¡¯re not even her real mother?¡¯ . ¡°Right. She¡¯s a child that I cherish more than my life.¡± ¡°She will be too dependent on you if you keep her close all the time.¡± Eventually, his true colors showed up. ¡°Rather, I think it can have a worse impact if you force us apart at a time like this.¡± I did not lose a word while putting on my best smile. The Emperor had given me permission to be at ease near him anyway, so I spoke my mind without hesitation. The Emperor also stared at me intently, his mouth twitching as if he wanted to retort. At that moment, Rere got up from her seat first and grabbed my hand. ¡°Your Majesty! I want to go with my mom!¡± Whether she read the atmosphere or noticed that I wanted to go with her, Rere opened her mouth again. ¡°If my mom is not coming with me, then I won¡¯t go either. Whenever I see pretty things, I feel the happiest when I see them with my mom!¡± In this situation, Rere was way better than the useless Duke. The Emperor, who had been alternating his gaze between me and the Duke, hurriedly relaxed his expression. Perhaps he wanted to be a kind person only in front of Rere. ¡°My my. Looking at it like this, I feel like I¡¯m a wicked villain who separates a mother and daughter, so you may do as you please.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I forced myself to smile knowing so well the kind of person the Emperor was. It was when I rose from my seat and held Rere¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°Take the Princess and the Duchess there.¡± ¡°Yes. Your Majesty.¡± A maid approached us as soon as the Emperor raised his hand. When Rere and I stood from our seats, the servant took the lead as if asking us to follow her. Before following her, I briefly turned my head and looked back at the Emperor and the Duke. The two men, who had been busy conversing, were staring at us. I turned my back to those people and quickly left the room. The door where I came in opened and closed again, only then did I feel comfortable. Perhaps excited, Rere jumped up and down. ¡°Garden, garden, pretty garden!¡± ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Yeah! Mom.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been calling me Mom ever since we arrived here.¡± ¡°Because you are my mom! Ehehe~ If people in the palace know that my mom is a cute flower bunny, they might want to have you. That¡¯s why I should call you Mom.¡± ¡°Rere. By the way.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°What kind of man do you like?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ As for Rere¡­ someone who¡¯s like Big Bunny!¡± Usually, children would want someone who resembled their father, but Rere clasped my hand tightly. ¡°Someone like Mom?¡± ¡°A gentle and kind person. Someone who only loves me and only looks at me!! Hehe~ But I don¡¯t think such a person exists, so I¡¯m just going to be single.¡± ¡°Huh? Suddenly?¡± ¡°Mom was upset last time.¡± Memories of the past suddenly passed my mind. As I was busy musing on the past, Rere clenched her small fists strongly. ¡°So I made up my mind. I won¡¯t let my mom be disappointed. I¡¯m fine even if I don¡¯t have a man!¡± Rere looked brighter than ever while flailing her arms back and forth. ¡°All I need is my mom!¡± I couldn¡¯t hold back my smile. ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± She nodded her small head eagerly as if showing her sincerity. I don¡¯t care about other things. I¡¯m content as long as Rere said that. ¡®Of course, she might have a change of heart after meeting the Crown Prince¡­¡¯ I put a little force in my hand that held Rere¡¯s. Even if it was an inevitable future, I promise to protect you. In the meantime, my line of vision spread widely. We arrived at the green garden after leaving the stuffy palace. That alone was sufficient to release my frustration. ¡°Woah!¡± Rere already ran into the garden as soon as she saw it. The maid smiled slightly and took a step closer to me. ¡°This is where His Majesty the Emperor asked me to bring you.¡± The Emperor was right. The vast garden was very beautiful at a glance. There was a large and beautiful tree in the middle, and the garden was filled with a variety of flowers which were neatly assorted within each area. ¡°Mom, come on! There are so many pretty flowers!¡± The Duchy¡¯s garden was large enough and filled with flowers, but this place exuded an entirely different feeling. I couldn¡¯t believe there was such a big garden between buildings. ¡°Come on!¡± Rere urged me because she couldn¡¯t wait to look around. ¡°There are so many flowers!!¡± ¡°Yup! There¡¯s a lot everywhere!¡± But then, ¡°If you go toward the beautiful tree over there, you can find more amazing flowers.¡± The maid was quite far from us now, yet butted in as if she didn¡¯t want to miss her chance. ¡°Ah! She said there are more beautiful things over there!¡± Rere looked at the said beautiful tree admiringly. But instead of that beautiful tree, I noticed something near its top. The young Crown Prince was clearly climbing that tree. How can I not see when the leaves were falling abundantly from the thick branches? Leaves fell each time he moved. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Rere, there¡¯s a lot of pretty flowers over here, too. Do we really have to go there?¡± ¡°Ung! I wanna go!¡± Rere was busy dragging me there. If we go there, we will eventually meet the Crown Prince. But even though I knew that, I couldn¡¯t stop heading there. Somehow I got the feeling that nothing would happen. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go over there and take a look.¡± My anxiety surged when the excited Rere led me there. It was inevitable to deal with the Crown Prince, who would appear anytime. ¡®There¡¯s definitely a difference from the novel. According to the original novel, Rere should¡¯ve come here with the Duke. She fell in love at first sight with the Crown Prince.¡¯ The engagement took place due to interest. The Emperor needed Duke Petri¡¯s backing, and Rere really fell in love with the Crown Prince. The fact that she became the Crown Prince¡¯s fiance¨¦ itself made her ecstatic as if she was on cloud nine, but eventually, she turned evil due to unrequited love. ¡®It¡¯d be fine as long as I changed that.¡¯ I lifted my head slightly to look up at the tree. He pretended to not notice us, but it was clear that he had been waiting for us. No, to be exact, he waited for the right time to strike up a conversation. However, contrary to his expectations, Rere was circling around the tree. She wanted to make a flower crown for me. ¡°The flowers here are prettier!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yup, yup! There are so many flowers I haven¡¯t seen!¡± Rere was distracted by the flowers. This made the Crown Prince, who was reading a book leisurely while perched on a branch, direct his attention at us for quite a while. How funny it was to see him stealing glances at us. ¡®In the original story, Rere was the one who found him first.¡¯ Rere didn¡¯t mind him at all, so time passed by just like that. ¡°Whoa, Mom! I¡¯m sweating a lot!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Ta-da!¡± Rere sprang up and put a flower crown on top of my head. She looked happier than ever. ¡°My flower bunny is so pretty!¡± ¡°Do you think so?¡± ¡°Yeah! Hehe. By the way, it¡¯s so hot here. Let¡¯s go home so Flower Bunny can play with Little Bunny!¡± Rere called herself Little Bunny and grinned as she shook the dirt off her dress. ¡°Let¡¯s go now!¡± ¡°Ah, really?¡± ¡°Yeah! Do you want to stay here? Gosh, if Flower Bunny wants it, I have to listen to her!¡± ¡°No! I¡¯ll make my Rere a flower crown from roses in our rose garden! How colorful!¡± ¡°Yippie! Then let¡¯s go now!¡± I grabbed Rere¡¯s hand so I could lead her away from the beautiful tree. But just as we were about to turn around, a loud thump came from behind the tree. ¡°Who¡¯s coming into my garden and being so loud?¡± I didn¡¯t think it was supposed to be like this¡­.but not that I cared anyway. I hurriedly turned around and looked at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince greatly resembled the Emperor. Anyone could tell that he was a noble child. It looked to me that there was a ¡®I¡¯m the Crown Prince¡¯ tag on his forehead. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. His Majesty allowed us to come here. I didn¡¯t know it was owned by someone else. Just in time, we were about to leave.¡± ¡°¡­A-Are you leaving already?¡± The Crown Prince was a little bigger than Rere and was puzzled by my adamant answer. ¡°Yes. Rere¡¯s going to leave too, right?¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m going back to my daddy.¡± Rere¡¯s reaction was also unexpected. She paid no attention to the Crown Prince at all. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 73 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 73 Turns out I wasn¡¯t the only one surprised by her reaction. ¡°You.¡± The Crown Prince, holding a book on his side, rushed toward us. ¡°Are you just going to leave?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You came into my garden and were so loud, though?¡± I was seriously going to say ¡®So what?¡¯ to him, but I deliberately held myself back. He looked at me with a mocking gaze that was quite unpleasant. ¡°Do I have to apologize again?¡± ¡°Of course! Because I¡¯m still mad at you!¡± A thin vein appeared on Rere¡¯s forehead. ¡°Who are you to say that to my mom!¡± I already knew who that child was, so I tried to avoid conversation as much as possible. But Rere clearly had a different idea. Rere was a child who couldn¡¯t stand injustice. ¡°Ha¡­? Did you just speak informally to me?¡± ¡°Who the hell are you?!¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m the Crown Prince of this country!¡± ¡°So what do you want me to do?!¡± ¡­Huh? This seemed off. Rere did not budge at all even when he revealed his identity. ¡°What? Aren¡¯t you scared of me?¡± ¡°Yeah! I wasn¡¯t scared of His Majesty the Emperor. So why should I be scared of you?¡± ¡°Ha¡­.?¡± The Crown Prince looked tense due to the turn of events. ¡°You¡¯re the one who started talking informally to me.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so? Turns out the Crown Prince is not that great. Seems like no one ever tells you how they feel. How pitiful.¡± Rere was being her usual self, but was she allowed to say this? I looked alternately between the two children for a moment. It was fortunate that Rere was indifferent to the Crown Prince, but this worried me somehow. I was worried that the Crown Prince would be furious and decide to harm Rere. ¡°¡­You.¡± But the mood was quite strange. I expected him to be furious, but he looked at Rere with an unreadable expression. I stood close to Rere in case anything happened. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Me? Little Bunny!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to tell my name to someone who treats my mom badly! Mom, let¡¯s go!¡± Rere grabbed my hand before turning around. I thought the child would have a lot to say, but she dragged me without hesitation. ¡°A-Are you going to leave already?¡± As soon as we got out of there, the maid approached us as if she had been waiting. ¡°We are going back now.¡± ¡°How about looking around more?¡± The maid looked over my shoulders anxiously. Perhaps the Crown Prince was looking at us right now. At times like this, I have to be more assertive. ¡°Yeah. Is there any reason for us to stay here any longer?¡± ¡°Not really¡­.¡± ¡°Then we shall go back.¡± As the maid hesitated, I passed by her confidently. A deep sigh came from the back. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go back no matter what you say. Don¡¯t hinder us.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡­.¡± ¡°The path is this way, right?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡­I knew it. That¡¯s why Rere kept tilting her head next to me. Why wouldn¡¯t you tell me sooner if we¡¯re going the wrong way? So I let out an embarrassed cough and quickly turned around. ¡°I see. The path here is quite difficult. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not the only one who went the wrong way like this.¡± ¡°¡­Mom. Lying is a bad thing.¡± ¡°¡­Rere.¡± ¡°Just be honest. Why can¡¯t you just say that you got lost?¡± As if trying to loosen up my tense face, Rere grinned and held my hand tightly. ¡°Rere, are you an honest child?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯m so honest!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Meanwhile, the maid walked in front of us with her shoulders drooping. We walked for quite some time. ¡°By the way, Rere.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°About that child, no, the Crown Prince, don¡¯t you have any impression of him?¡± Whether your heart was pounding, or you felt something new when you first saw him. ¡°Not at all! If anyone ever treats Big Bunny badly, I will hate them wholeheartedly, even if it was Luca!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! Rere is an honest person!¡± It was different. At that moment, a smile spread across my face. Perhaps I could change the future now that the most problematic part had been resolved. ¡°Why? Do you like the Crown Prince? If Mom wants it, I will try to like him a little!¡± ¡°No! I don¡¯t want that!¡± ¡°Thank goodness. Actually, I hated him.¡± ¡°You mean the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± I¡¯m sure Rere was supposed to like him from the start. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you like him?¡± ¡°Umm¡­He¡¯s handsome! But I didn¡¯t like what he said.¡± ¡°Did you?¡± ¡°Yes! I don¡¯t know if it was a long time ago, but¡­I have zero interest in him right now. By the way, Mom.¡± ¡°Hmm, yeah?¡± Rere smiled brightly, swinging our hands back and forth. ¡°I think it¡¯s true that our taste changes as we get older.¡± ¡°R-Rere, are you getting older?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m five years old!¡± I nodded with a smile when Rere stretched out her cute little fingers. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°The Crown Prince was my type when I was four. Now I like people who are similar to my mom. I¡¯m sure my taste has changed!¡± My face got brighter because there seemed to be a way to avoid Rere¡¯s tragic future in this bloody novel. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Mom¡¯s taste might change, too.¡± ¡°Huh? My taste?¡± ¡°Yes! Mom hates my daddy, right?¡± I scratched my head awkwardly at her sharp remark. ¡°It¡¯s not that I hate him¡­.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s true that Mom hates Daddy. But who knows if Mom will come to like my daddy someday.¡± ¡°How long do you think it will take for Mom to like your daddy?¡± ¡°Uh¡­well¡­¡± She stopped for a moment at my words and folded her fingers one by one. ¡°Uh..fifteen years!¡± ¡°F-Fifteen years?¡± ¡°Yeah! So Mom can¡¯t run away from me even if Mom doesn¡¯t like my daddy, okay?¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll stay with Rere even if I don¡¯t like your daddy.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± By the time we reached the door where we met the Emperor earlier, I saw the Duke and the Emperor had come outside. ¡°Oh, Princess and Duchess? Are you done looking around?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m done playing!¡± ¡°Did you like the garden?¡± Rere looked at me before nodding. Then she bowed slightly to greet the Emperor. ¡°Thank you for letting me enjoy the beautiful scenery with my mom.¡± ¡°Hoo..! The Princess is so adorable. I¡¯ve never felt anything like this because I only raised my son, you see.¡± In fact, the Emperor¡¯s eyes turned affectionate at the sight of Rere. As if he was really charmed by Rere. I knew my daughter was unbearably lovely, but I would never give her to that guy. I would never let Rere be associated with the Imperial Family. ¡°Then may I go back now? Your Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°Oh, are you leaving already?¡± ¡°Yes. I thought Rere would be tired because it¡¯s her first outing after so long.¡± ¡°Yeah! Mom, hug me.¡± ¡°Okay, my daughter.¡± I leaned down and held Rere at once. ¡°Seeing the Princess like this makes me want to have a pretty daughter. Daughter is fine, or maybe a daughter-in-law who is like a daughter sounds good, too.¡± Daughter-in-law, my ass! If he wasn¡¯t the Emperor, I¡¯d like to spit out a bunch of swear words. As if she would be your daughter-in-law! What kind of nonsense was that! ¡°Your Majesty seems healthy enough to have a daughter on your own. Because a daughter¡¯s a daughter, and a son is a son. There¡¯s no daughter-in-law who¡¯s like a daughter in this world.¡± I tried to say it in the most refined and polite way possible, but the Emperor¡¯s face was still crestfallen. The same was true of the Duke. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Did I perhaps make a mistake, Your Majesty?¡± I pretended to be clueless and bowed my head hastily. As if he couldn¡¯t say what was on his mind, the Emperor only forced a smile. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing. Then you should head back now. I hope the Duke will consider what we talked about earlier.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The Duke was obviously displeased by something. He led us to greet the Emperor again and then returned to the carriage. He didn¡¯t say anything on the walk back. Even so, that didn¡¯t make me feel uncomfortable or anything. ¡°Rere, when we get home, I¡¯ll make you a flower crown.¡± ¡°Yup! Make me a flower ring, too!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The Duke occasionally turned his head to our conversation but had been silent for a long time. We just walked and walked. At last, after getting into the carriage and departing, he opened his mouth. ¡°I think it¡¯s better for you not to come again to the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Are you talking about me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any intention of visiting. And I won¡¯t let Rere visit the Imperial Palace again.¡± ¡°We have no choice. It is His Majesty¡¯s will.¡± ¡°Are you a dog?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Are you a dog that blindly obeys its owner and wags its tail no matter how badly it is being treated?¡± ¡°Leona. I think you¡¯re crossing the line because I¡¯ve been nice to you lately.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s you who¡¯s crossing the line.¡± Rere looked up to me without saying anything. So I stroked her head while keeping eye contact with him. ¡°Since it¡¯s the Emperor¡¯s will, we must obey it no matter what. Is that what you¡¯re trying to say? Are you willing to throw away the promise you made to us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you said, ¡®If Rere doesn¡¯t want to go after going once, I won¡¯t force her anymore¡¯.¡± ¡°I did say that, but Rere hasn¡¯t decided on anything. And regarding the Crown Prince¡­Rere, you¡¯re going to the palace to meet the Crown Prince again, right?¡± At that moment, the Duke¡¯s eyes were filled with expectation. ¡°Rere, please think carefully. He¡¯s sweet, handsome and kind. On top of that, he¡¯s the Crown Prince of this Empire.¡± ¡°I know. I met him already.¡± ¡°Did you meet him?¡± ¡°Yes, I did. And I¡¯ve made up my mind. I won¡¯t go to the Imperial Palace again! My mom doesn¡¯t want me to do that, and the Crown Prince is not that attractive.¡± ¡°H-Hold on, Rere.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 74 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 74 ¡°Seems like Rere already made up her mind.¡± A fierce gaze that I¡¯ve never seen before touched me. ¡°¡­Rere, you shouldn¡¯t think of it too lightly.¡± ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t I do that? If I said I don¡¯t want it, then I don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°The thing is¡­¡± ¡°Daddy also doesn¡¯t do things that you hate, right? Even if Rere told Daddy to treat Mom nicely, Daddy never listens and pretends to be clueless. So why would Rere have to do something that Rere hates?¡± Rere did not stop moving her small mouth, while he only stared vacantly at the child. ¡°Even if your mom doesn¡¯t want it, you can still go with Daddy without your mom, right?¡± ¡°Even so, I don¡¯t want it!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of things you haven¡¯t seen in the Imperial Palace¡­.¡± The Duke was busy persuading Rere using excessive hand movements. However, Rere was not easily convinced with such things. Rere was a child who never does what she hates. ¡°¡­Ha. Daddy, are you crazy?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Why do you keep forcing me when I say I don¡¯t like it? You¡¯re doing exactly the same as before! That¡¯s what I hate the most!¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s not it¡­Anyway, His Majesty said he wanted to meet you more often after seeing you in person. I think you¡¯ll get along so well with His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but laugh bitterly. ¡°You can¡¯t even respect your daughter¡¯s wish. How can you call yourself a father? Don¡¯t you see she hates it so much?¡± ¡°¡­Because she hasn¡¯t met His Highness the Crown Prince properly¡­¡± ¡°No! Stop talking about it! Stop! Stop! I hate you, Daddy!¡± Rere, who had not been angry recently, poured out her feelings at the Duke and suddenly lay down in my lap. ¡°R-Rere! What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Because of Daddy¡­my stomach feels stuffy¡­it hurts all of sudden¡­¡± I hurriedly touched Rere¡¯s flushed cheeks. I could feel her skin burning as if something bad happened to her. ¡°Rere! Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not okay¡­I¡¯m so angry because of Daddy¡­¡± Perhaps he couldn¡¯t calm himself down even in the moving carriage, the Duke hurriedly got up from his seat and approached us. ¡°Go away! It hurts more when I see Daddy¡¯s face.¡± ¡°R-Rere¡­!¡± ¡°I hate it¡­don¡¯t force me to do it¡­¡± Holding Rere in my arms, I glared at him. ¡°Are you satisfied now? Are you satisfied that you¡¯ve hurt your child!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t come close! You really haven¡¯t changed at all.¡± There were a lot of things I wanted to spew, but Rere was my priority now, so I only glared at him and bit my lip. Looking at Rere¡¯s condition, he lowered his head as if he finally suppressed his ego. Instead, he released his emotion by knocking on the small window behind the horseman. ¡°Hurry! Go faster!¡± ¡°Yes Sir!¡± Thanks to him, the carriage arrived at the mansion much earlier than expected. But Rere¡¯s physical condition was still troubling, so as soon as we arrived, I rushed inside while holding the child. Whether they already expected that we would return early, the nanny and the maids who were waiting outside came to our side . ¡°Madam, what¡¯s wrong with our little Miss?!¡± ¡°Call the doctor immediately! Hurry!¡± ¡°Y-Yes, Madam!¡± May ran right away and the nanny moved faster than me to open the door. ¡°This way!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As the nanny pulled the blanket back on the bed, ¡°Rere, are you alright?¡± I quickly laid the child on the bed and swept Rere¡¯s hair away from her face. ¡°Rere¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m strong¡­but Big Bunny¡¯s crown is gone now¡­.¡± ¡°Oh¡­I¡¯m sorry, Rere. I think I dropped it somewhere. I¡¯ll look for it later.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t go. It doesn¡¯t hurt when Big Bunny is next to me.¡± Perhaps her vision was blurred due to a fever, but Rere lifted her hand in the air and finally grabbed my arm. ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere. Just stay here, okay?¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± Meanwhile, the Duke paced around in front of the door, hesitating to come inside. Because of the incident earlier, I just glared at him, and only then did he take a step back. The nanny, who was looking at us alternately, closed the door. He would normally say something, but he easily backed down as if something weighed on his mind. Soon after, a doctor entered the room sweating profusely. ¡°Oh, my! Who¡¯s sick this time? Is it you, Madam?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s Rere this time. She has a fever. Rere, are you feeling sick anywhere?¡± ¡°Yeah. My vision is a little blurry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because of the fever.¡± Sighing, the doctor made the medicine without even looking. ¡°What else happened today? Did you get agitated again?¡± His question was really strange. I swept Rere¡¯s hand while looking at the doctor. ¡°Don¡¯t you usually ask if she¡¯s doing too much activity, or anything else? How are you so sure that the child gets sick because she¡¯s getting too agitated?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. She¡¯s always sick whenever there are severe emotional changes. What was the cause this time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that she was agitated. Come to think of it¡­¡± Rere¡¯s sickness last time was definitely associated with agitation. It was kind of strange to call it a disease. ¡°Are you sure she has a disease?¡± ¡°A disease is a disease. But it¡¯s definitely different from a general disease. Ahem, can I explain a little more, Madam?¡± Somehow his eyes sparkled. ¡°What is it? What are you trying to tell me?¡± ¡°It is indeed a disease, but it¡¯s hard to call it a disease. I¡¯m a fairly competent doctor, so I know quite a lot of things.¡± While shamelessly speaking of his prominence, he finished making medicine. ¡°First, let¡¯s feed her medicine.¡± ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Uhh¡­..¡± ¡°You need to take medicine and sleep. After you take medicine, Mom will massage your arms.¡± ¡°Hng¡­¡± Only then did Rere spring up with my help and take the medicine given by the doctor. It must be so bitter, but I wonder how disoriented she was to be able to eat the medicine well. ¡°I want to lie down¡­.¡± ¡°You should sleep now. Mom will stay next to you.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put Ugly next to you, so sleep well, our little Miss.¡± As soon as the nanny finished speaking, she put Ugly next to Rere and massaged Rere¡¯s body. In the meantime, May brought a handkerchief soaked in cold water and put it on Rere¡¯s forehead. At one point, I could hear her sleeping sound. ¡°So what were you starting to say earlier?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about little Miss¡¯ disease. She¡¯ll get better if she consumes highly nutritional supplements instead of medicine.¡± ¡°Highly nutritional supplements?¡± ¡°In conclusion, it didn¡¯t matter what medicine she ate¡ªas long as it contained ingredients that were quickly absorbed by the body, it was always effective. It is quite a strange condition.¡± I stared at him silently. ¡°So for a while, I thought the medicine was effective, so I kept feeding it to her. But if she takes medicine for a long time, she¡¯d grow tolerant of it, so I had to pause the consumption.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But we can replace the medicine with highly nutritional supplements during the pause, and it works pretty well.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I wonder why? ¡°Isn¡¯t it because it contains certain ingredients?¡± ¡°Little Miss¡¯ condition usually gets better in a week to fifteen days, so I can¡¯t say that it has a great effect, but it is still better than nothing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright as long as she can eat everything, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The condition in which she collapses whenever she gets agitated is definitely different from the common one.¡± Is it better to drink something that is easy to get absorbed by her body? Regardless of what medicine it is? Is it just a stress-induced disease? ¡°Was the Duke aware of the child¡¯s malady?¡± ¡°About that¡­His Excellency said that it¡¯s ridiculous and only asked me to get better herbs.¡± Was it because of that? In the novel, the Duke couldn¡¯t get medicine to cure Rere¡¯s affliction. ¡°Did you find out anything other than that?¡± ¡°No, not yet.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± ¡°There must be medical records for patients with this disease somewhere¡­.even I, as the member of the doctor council, can¡¯t find such records.¡± He slightly rolled his eyes from left to right. ¡°Where can I see such medical records?¡± ¡°No one can see it. It¡¯s in the temple, but only those permitted by the High Priest are allowed to see.¡± That must be harder than I thought, but I didn¡¯t have any other choice. I have only gone to the temple once since I was born. However, the doctor did not give up easily. ¡°But the temple is said to like high-ranking aristocrats. His Majesty also comes and goes there often. Wouldn¡¯t it be a different story if the Duchess went there?¡± In short, I was curious but I couldn¡¯t go there, so I told you to find out in my stead. ¡°¡­.Alright. I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m sure the records are hidden somewhere. Someone must have had a similar infirmity, after all.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The doctor looked quite pleased and took the medicine bottle out of his bag to make the medicine again. ¡°This is the medicine you can take for dinner tonight. Then I¡¯ll get going first. The fever will go down soon, so please rest assured. She¡¯ll regain consciousness by the time her fever is gone. I¡¯ll be back every day to check.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The doctor withdrew after saying that. As soon as he left, the Duke entered as if he had received the baton. ¡°¡­Is the child alright?¡± ¡°So you knew that the child would faint if she was provoked?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Did you still provoke your child even though you knew?¡± ¡°I was sure that he was a fake doctor.¡± ¡°¡­Fake, huh? You¡¯re a fake father.¡± ¡°What¡­.?¡± ¡°There are 100 unbelievable things. Even so, parents won¡¯t do anything that goes beyond that in fear that it will harm the child.¡± He shut up for a moment. ¡°But how about you? You still blamed the doctor even when you clearly heard what made her faint!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 75 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 75 If there was the worst father on earth, it must be him. ¡°Do you even love Rere?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Just because I made a mistake before¡­¡± ¡°A mistake, huh? Then why don¡¯t you notice that something bad happens to the child everytime you make the same mistake?¡± It¡¯ll be okay today. I¡¯m sure nothing will happen today. She always plays there, anyway. What could go wrong? Because of such complacency, I lost my younger sister in the orphanage where I grew up. She was an adorable girl who followed me everywhere like her real sister. However, as a child who also grew up in an orphanage at that time, I couldn¡¯t afford to take care of all the children. Even the child who followed me around. As usual, she played in the parking lot of the orphanage, so I left her alone thinking that she would be just fine. But I lost her that day. The person parking his car didn¡¯t see the child squatting down. ¡°Why are you getting so worked up?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re so frustrating. I can¡¯t tell whether you love your child or are indifferent to her.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Be clear about your intention. If the child is more precious than your life, then treat her preciously.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I always treat her nicely, but the problem is¡­¡± I felt I was talking to the wall. No, more than that. It felt like we were always in a constant loop. ¡°¡­That¡¯s not what I meant. Ha¡­what else can I say? I don¡¯t think I¡¯m in a position to talk either. Do as you wish, Your Excellency. It¡¯s not like anything I say will get through to you anyway.¡± I wanted to say that I won¡¯t let him slide if he made Rere like this again, but as someone who was like a parasite to this family, I couldn¡¯t give him a piece of my mind freely. This damn power. I want to have power, too. I want the power to trample on this ignorant Duke. ¡°Your eyes seem like you¡¯re thinking of doing something to me.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that natural? If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that I had a worthless existence without you, I might have kicked you in the crotch with all my heart.¡± ¡°How funny.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Actually, I wasn¡¯t even sure if there was anything to hit between his legs, but I held myself back from saying that. ¡°Ha. Did you just say I¡¯m funny?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you learn about parenting instead of making fun of me?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Luca is doing all your work anyway. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re busy.¡± His forehead furrowed at my words. ¡°I will do my work from now on. I will order him to return to his knight duty.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe he said that after he finished using Luca to his heart content. ¡°Since when has Luca been by your side? Don¡¯t you feel strange keeping someone who looks exactly like you by your side?¡± Normally, people would be perturbed if they saw someone who looked exactly like themselves. Not only did he put Luca next to him, he also let Luca handle his work. ¡°¡­What¡¯s so strange about it? It¡¯s the duty of a Lord to have outstanding people next to him, regardless of their appearance or background.¡± I looked at him silently. The face that worried about Rere had disappeared. Rather, the Duke puffed up his chest proudly. ¡°Ahh. I see.¡± ¡°Yeah. Is that all you want to ask? Then, I also have a lot of questions for you, Leona.¡± ¡°What are you curious about?¡± ¡°Everything.¡± ¡°Keep that curiosity for later and be more curious about Rere, please.¡± In the meantime, Rere¡¯s little body moved restlessly. ¡°Uuuh¡­¡± I changed the towel on her forehead and patted Rere¡¯s chest gently. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rere. Mom is here.¡± ¡°Uuuh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll stay here next to you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re acting like a real mother.¡± He still had to make noise even when the child hadn¡¯t fallen asleep. ¡°You¡¯re really acting like a fake father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯d better leave now if you¡¯re going to keep talking nonsense when the child needs to rest.¡± He heaved a deep sigh instead of answering. Nevertheless, I didn¡¯t even look at him as I was busy taking care of Rere. When I heard him leave the room, I lay down next to Rere and mumbled. ¡°Rere, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Whether I was a fake mom or a real mom. My heart for Rere was real. The nanny came to the bed after he left and put a cold wet towel on Rere¡¯s head until she fell asleep. I looked after the child until dawn, and eventually fell asleep only after the child¡¯s fever went down. In the dark room, I felt like a hand was touching my head. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was a dream, but the hand felt so warm that I unconsciously held it. The next day. I guess because my mind was filled with Rere, I woke up so early that even the nanny hadn¡¯t arrived yet. But there was a flower crown next to me. It was the one that Rere made for me. A flower crown that was slightly damaged as if someone stepped on it. There was also a small flower crown next to it. ¡°Ah¡­¡± I gathered the flower crown gently with my hand. The flowers were so fresh as if they were just newly made. Just in time, the door opened and the nanny came in. ¡°Madam, are you awake?¡± The nanny walked to the bed quietly and whispered. Perhaps she was worried that Rere would wake up. ¡°I just woke up.¡± I put down the flower crown and touched Rere¡¯s head. Fortunately, Rere¡¯s complexion was much better as her fever had diminished. ¡°I think Rere is alright now.¡± ¡°The first day is usually the worst.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. But please don¡¯t let anyone enter the room so she can rest today.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± I gently swept back Rere¡¯s sweaty hair. ¡°By the way, Nanny. Did anyone else enter the room?¡± ¡°No. No one came to the room except for a few of the night duty maids.¡± Was it just my imagination? ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure someone was here.¡± I held out the small flower crown to her. ¡°Oh¡­this!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a flower crown that Rere made for me, but I dropped it while I was running.¡± ¡°¡­Umm¡­¡± ¡°I think someone left it here.¡± Hearing that, the nanny shook her head with a serious expression. ¡°Really, no one came in.¡± The nanny just tilted her head as if confused. Then there was only one person in my head. Luca. There was no one else other than him who would do that. Moreover, that warm hand¡­ I thought it was the nanny¡¯s hand at first, but it clearly was a man¡¯s hand¡­. My heart ached for a moment. I wanted to face him and ask him in person. Whether he was the one who left this flower crown here and stroked my hair. But I couldn¡¯t search for him when Rere was lying sick in bed. ¡°Do you want me to look into it?¡± ¡°No. I guess an angel visited and left last night.¡± I put down the flower crown with a smile. The nanny tilted her head as if she couldn¡¯t understand, but I got up from bed and stretched my body. ¡°Rere perspired a lot last night. Let¡¯s change her clothes first.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± The nanny quickly left to bring some fresh clothes. Now that her fever had broken, I wiped her body with a warm towel before changing her clothes. I was planning to feed her soup when she woke up, but the Duke came to visit. ¡°Is Rere okay now?¡± ¡°She can¡¯t be better in just one day.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re still as ferocious as a wildcat.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re the one who made Rere sick. Last time you said I was the cause of Rere¡¯s sickness, and now that you¡¯re in this situation, what kind of excuse will you make? Even what happened last time wasn¡¯t entirely my fault.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯ve always thought negatively of me.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a bad person. So tell me, why did you come today? Rere is still sleeping.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± He took a watch from his sleeve and nodded. ¡°Princess Arvida is scheduled to arrive in an hour.¡± At that moment, I almost asked him whether he had lost his mind already. ¡°You should get ready.¡± ¡°¡­I did say that I would meet her, but do you want me to meet her when the child is in this state?¡± At my sharp question, he sighed and mumbled quietly. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know this would happen.¡± ¡°Then you must cancel it. You know that Rere is anxious when I¡¯m not around, but do you really have to keep the appointment?¡± ¡°Noble families are like that. We have to keep the promises that we made. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re sick, and there are nannies and maids to take care of Rere. It will be hard to cancel the appointment.¡± All I could hear was a dog barking. Seriously. Whenever I talked to him, I boiled with intense anger. ¡°Then I guess you¡¯re not a noble. Since you never keep your promises.¡± I wanted to curse him so earnestly. If Rere wasn¡¯t sleeping, I wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back and would spew all the anger I felt. Of course, he stared at me like a fool. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go because it¡¯s a promise that you value so much. But there will be no next time.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Gosh, I couldn¡¯t believe a single word he said. I was sure he would go back on his word again. ¡°I hope you also keep your promises as a nobleman. Nanny, I will leave Rere in your care. I have to get ready soon.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± The nanny looked anxious at the fact that I was leaving Rere, but we couldn¡¯t really act contrary to the Duke¡¯s words. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 76 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 76 Two hours later. Princess Astra arrived at the exact appointed time. I sat at the garden tea table prepared by the Duke, and smiled at her as I watched her approaching me guided by the servant. Even when I didn¡¯t get up from my seat, she bowed her head to me. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you, Duchess Leona Petri.¡± It was so awkward that I even wondered if I should return her greeting or not. However, she was the one who came to ask me a favor, so I didn¡¯t have to be so courteous. I looked at her quietly and shifted my gaze to the tea table. Still, today was my first external activity as Duchess, so I promised myself to watch my manners, unlike my behavior at the party last time. Not to mention, she spoke formally this time. ¡°Please have a seat.¡± Astra in the past would¡¯ve screamed from the top of her lungs already, but now she came to the tea table quietly and sat down. It was still awkward for me to see this side of her. Since the one who used to treat me lower than a bug now had such a gentle gaze toward me. ¡°What brings you here today?¡± ¡°Are you telling me to get down to business as soon as I sit down? It¡¯d be nice if we could talk over a cup of tea.¡± ¡°Our relationship isn¡¯t that good for us to be all friendly and enjoy a cup of tea together. Pretending to be nice will not change my mind about you.¡± If the Duke was trash that couldn¡¯t be recycled, Princess Astra was that trash¡¯s beautiful cockroach-like mate. I could never forget everything she did to Rere. An unforgivable act. The worst human being who used violence against a child. I had not the slightest desire to be close to her. However, I had agreed to this arrangement because I wanted to relieve the stress caused by that trashy guy. ¡°¡­I think that¡¯s basic courtesy, Duchess.¡± ¡°As you already know, I¡¯m not from a distinguished family, so I¡¯m not that knowledgeable about etiquette and such.¡± You stepped into my territory, the Petri Dukedom. In short, no matter what you do, don¡¯t expect to hear pleasant things here. Perhaps she was aware of how I thought of and intended to treat her, so she forced herself to smile. ¡°¡­Then I can¡¯t help it either.¡± ¡°So what brought you here knowing that you wouldn¡¯t hear nice things?¡± As if waiting for me to ask, Princess Astra raised her hand. The four maids that accompanied her approached us carrying a large box in their arms. ¡°I still think we were a little closer than all the people you met at the party.¡± ¡°Hoo¡­¡± ¡°No need to be close to them. They pretend to be close but will abandon you right away if something goes wrong.¡± ¡°How clever of you to describe yourself like that.¡± I smirked and took a sip of tea. ¡°Clever¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, am I mistaken? I thought you were talking about yourself.¡± I smiled innocently as if my head was only a pretty decoration. ¡°¡­Did you just curse at me?¡± ¡°No way! I didn¡¯t mean to do that at all~ So, what is it that you want to discuss with me?¡± ¡°¡­Since we share a special bond, I hope to get along well with you in the future. I think I was rude to you last time.¡± So I leaned closer to her. ¡°Are you saying this because you want to, or because you were pressured by your family?¡± ¡°¡­Of course, that¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°To tell you the truth¡­I¡¯m not sure if our relationship will get better from this point on. I hate liars the most, you see.¡± I wonder how much she was burning inside? As she had to face the person who stole her position. ¡°¡­It¡¯s both. It¡¯s because of my family and I also want to get along well with you. I¡¯m sure that my presence will benefit you a lot.¡± ¡°Hoo..benefit me? How so? I¡¯m surprised that there¡¯s something to gain from Princess Astra. If I recall, I think I lost a lot of things thanks to Princess Astra.¡± As I fiddled with my teacup, Astra seemed to gradually lose her temper. ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you able to sit in that position thanks to me? If it wasn¡¯t for me¡­.!¡± ¡°I earned this position, not because of anything you claim to have done. Princess Astra is such an amusing person. I didn¡¯t know you were thinking like that. I thought you came here so you can be of use to me.¡± I looked at Astra¡¯s face. Her face darkened as if her mind and heart were at odds. A bitter smile rose on her face. ¡°¡­I think I made a mistake. I must have conducted myself poorly because I was sick recently. So if I offended you in any way, I hope you can go easy on me. I was thinking deeply about what you said last time, so I brought a variety of gifts this time.¡± ¡°Gifts?¡± ¡°You said that a gift that the other person didn¡¯t want is not a gift.¡± Come to think of it, I did say that during the party last time. You said it was a gift for me, so I have the right to reject it. And how can you call it a gift when you don¡¯t even care about the recipient¡¯s heart? ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like at least one of my gifts.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your reason to shower me with gifts like this? Let¡¯s just get to the point. I¡¯ll decide whether to receive the gifts or not accordingly.¡± Just in time, my teacup emptied. With a relaxed smile, I tilted the kettle and poured hot water into my cup. ¡°Well¡­It¡¯s up to you whether you say it or not. I¡¯m just saying that maybe having a close relationship and enjoying tea together is possible after all.¡± A tea set was already put in front of her. Hot steam escaped from the kettle¡¯s long spout. ¡°¡­Since you like honest people the most, I will tell you truthfully. Please persuade Duke Ian Petri for me.¡± ¡°Persuade?¡± ¡°If this continues, it¡¯s only a matter of time before Arvida Dukedom collapses.¡± ¡°Hoo¡­¡± ¡°I think the three duchys exist to sustain the Empire. However, Duke Ian Petri did not intend to absorb our family, and froze our family¡¯s funds instead.¡± Astra used to be very hostile and stubborn, but today she acted like a real noble lady. Especially when she spoke in an orderly manner. ¡°I hope you can set us free. His Majesty said he trusted Duke Petri and granted him permission to investigate my family. My family really worked so hard as a ducal family who supported the Empire.¡± I¡¯m sure you did your best to embezzle money. ¡°If we collapse like this, it will be a big problem for us all.¡± She was good at threatening. ¡°Since Duke Petri treasures the Duchess very much¡­¡± ¡°In conclusion¡­.¡± ¡°So that we can get through this safely¡­.¡± ¡°You gave me a bribe.¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s not a bribe.¡± She waved her hand, but the box next to Astra seemed to prove that it was indeed a bribe. ¡°I have no ill intention.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. But what should I do?¡± I smiled and placed the heavy kettle to the side. ¡°He really cares about me. He was trying to give me something incredible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I ask you a favor. If you can solve this problem well, I will sincerely support the Duchess.¡± I would rather believe that a dog can talk like a human than her words. ¡°Princess Astra.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was a glint of hope in her eyes. ¡°Unfortunately, he cares about me, but I really hate the Duke.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to him.¡± ¡°B-But¡­! W-Wait a minute. You just need to talk to him once!¡± She raised her voice again. A voice that was close to a threat. She finally returned to the old Astra that I knew so well. ¡°Don¡¯t force me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you, but you can at least do that much! It¡¯s not that hard. You just need to ask him to go easy on his investigation of my family! I¡¯m being honest right now like you always wanted!¡± ¡°Did you just lash out at me?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯ve got it wrong. I just ask you to do one thing! I¡¯ll do anything for you in return!!!¡± She looked desperate. The same person who acted arrogantly and treated me like a bug before. Astra, who used to treat me less than a human, freaked out in front of me. I had a good laugh thanks to her. ¡°So what if you can do anything for me now? Do you even remember what you did to me and Rere?¡± ¡°T-That! Back then, I was the Duchess¡­and it was an inevitable situation.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve thought of apologizing to me first before bringing such a gift.¡± Astra shook her hand at my words. ¡°¡­I will apologize. Will you talk to him if I apologize? To the Duke?¡± ¡°Are you going to apologize for a reward? How is that a proper apology?¡± At that moment. ¡°What kind of interesting discussion you¡¯re having here that you keep raising your voices.¡± The Duke appeared out of nowhere. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 77 Chapter 77 AD As soon as he appeared, both of us stood at the same time. Princess Astra bowed her head almost immediately. But she couldn¡¯t utter her greeting because the Duke didn¡¯t even spare her a glance. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Because I miss my wife?¡± But the Duke seemed to be in a good mood which was probably because of Princess Astra. It was the same expression he wore on the day he trampled on Duke Arvida and Princess Astra last time. ¡°You¡¯re good at lying, too.¡± The Duke laughed at my remark and turned his gaze to Princess Astra. ¡°Princess Astra seems to be very upset with me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even greet me properly¡­and the way you look at me is enough to drill a hole in my head.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m Astra Arvida, Your Grace the Duke.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve become an obedient sheep now. If it were you of the past, you wouldn¡¯t greet me immediately after talking like this.¡± Astra¡¯s face stiffened hearing the Duke¡¯s snide remark. Why does his attitude make my heart flutter? It¡¯s the same Duke that I hated every single day, but I want to compliment him today. ¡°So what were you talking about?¡± ¡°Ah, about that-¡± ¡°N-No, please don¡¯t say it, Duchess Petri.¡± ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to talk to him in person?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Astra hurriedly waved her hands as if telling me to shut up. ¡°Leona. Did Princess Astra ask you for a favor regarding the investigation into Arvida Dukedom?¡± Princess Astra¡¯s face turned white. ¡°Th-That¡¯s¡­.That¡¯s not true!¡± Astra screamed even before I could answer. ¡°Not true, huh? I definitely told you not to mention it. I really can¡¯t tell whether it¡¯s you or your father who is stupid.¡± Astra¡¯s face paled whiter under the Duke¡¯s fierce pressure. ¡°Since you can¡¯t reach out to me, so now you¡¯re ¡®bothering¡¯ Leona?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t bother the Duchess. And today¡­I¡¯m just here to apologize so I can maintain a good relationship with the Duchess in the future.¡± ¡°Hooo¡­Is that so?¡± He sneered at her while stroking his chin. ¡°Have you apologized then?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if you apologized for everything you did to Rere and Leona. If you are a human who has a perfectly working brain, you should apologize first before you say anything else.¡± Astra mumbled to herself then bowed her head while glancing between me and the Duke. ¡°Umm about that¡­¡± ¡°Did you call that an apology?¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± The Duke¡¯s voice became harsher than ever. ¡°I¡¯m asking you if standing upright and bowing is enough for an apology. Princess Astra.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°This is not enough considering what you did to Rere and Leona.¡± Huh, aren¡¯t you a pot calling the kettle black? The Duke is not much different from her, but today he was especially confident. ¡°¡­How should I apologize?¡± She was obviously in a very tight spot. What in the world did the Duke do? How could he make this overbearing Princess become this meek? ¡°Kneel down and apologize properly.¡± Hearing that, the Princess quickly made eye contact with me for a while, as if asking me, ¡®Do I really have to do this, too?¡¯ Her face trembled as if asking me if I really wanted her to do this, but it was too much even in my opinion. How could I make a Lady of a prestigious Duchy kneel in front of me? But she had to apologize for what she had done to us. So I smiled broadly and nodded at her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do it if you don¡¯t want to. But if you don¡¯t apologize, you will regret it, Princess Astra.¡± The Duke, who was annoyed, crossed his arms and looked down at her with an overbearing expression. Eventually, she gave up her pride and slumped on the floor. ¡°I apologize for what I did to Duchess Petri and Princess Rebecca in the past.¡± I was a little surprised since I didn¡¯t expect her to actually kneel down. ¡°¡­Umm.¡± What should I say to her? ¡°If you want more apologies, I¡¯ll lower myself and apologize no matter how many times it takes. You don¡¯t even have to accept my apologies, all I want is for you to consider what I said before.¡± While I was staring at her in a daze, thinking that she looked like a completely different person, the Duke smiled next to her. ¡°You need to apologize more. Think about everything you did wrong and write it down. If Leona forgives you after reading it, I¡¯ll consider your request.¡± Astra, who was bowing her head to the floor, slowly raised her head. ¡°Then you may leave now.¡± ¡°Are you letting me go like this?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you done with what you have to say? Or are you going to confess your sins here? I was being considerate toward you.¡± ¡°¡­Alright. Then I¡¯ll come back soon, Your Grace the Duke and Duchess Petri.¡± But there was no answer to her last greeting. The Duke only stared at the Princess¡¯ retreating back for a long time. And when she completely disappeared, he turned toward me. ¡°Let¡¯s go in, too.¡± ¡°Alright. But what are you going to do now that I already received an apology?¡± ¡°That much is not going to quell my anger. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re also the same, Leona.¡± ¡°But since I got an apology, I have to show her a little change too. Of course, that¡¯s only if she writes me a letter.¡± The Duke, who had been looking at where she went for a long time, reached out his hand to me. ¡°Leona, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything else.¡± Along with the words, he wriggled his fingers as if telling me to hold that hand. ¡°Ha¡­Honestly, you¡¯re not doing a good job either.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°..She¡¯s at fault, but you¡¯re at a bigger fault than her. Because you hurt the child more than that woman.¡± His lips quivered a bit. ¡°¡­I hope you will come to your senses from now on. You have to treat Rere better. What are you going to do if a wall falls around your child¡¯s heart, and she closes her heart on you?¡± Today, I planned to talk moderately and end the conversation like usual. However, he smiled and bowed to me. ¡°You always worry a lot about our Little Miss, and our Little Miss is also worried about you.¡± I was dazed for a moment listening to the voice that sounded different. In addition, he was referring to Rere with ¡®Our Little Miss¡¯. ¡°No way. Are you Luca?¡± ¡°I guess some people are pretty ignorant, don¡¯t you agree?¡± As if he was in a good mood, Luca smiled and grabbed my hand. ¡°Haa¡­seriously¡­I was fooled again.¡± ¡°Because I had to fool you, too. Princess Astra has a feeling toward His Grace, so I thought she might recognize me.¡± No wonder it felt unfair. I kept wondering why he was so perfect today. ¡°You have to fool your allies to fool your enemies.¡± ¡°I really didn¡¯t know this time.¡± ¡°Is that so? I feel good but a little sad.¡± ¡°Why are you sad?¡± ¡°I thought Leona would recognize me right away, regardless of what I look like.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to recognize you next time. By the way, you look happy.¡± ¡°Someone remembers me, and someone is looking for me. Is there anything else that makes me happier than that?¡± Luca¡¯s eyes folded beautifully as he said that. His hands were so warm that I didn¡¯t think they ever went cold. That¡¯s what I thought as he led me inside. He was the one who filled my empty heart. Thanks to him, spring seemed to have come to my heart. He made it beat so hard that I couldn¡¯t bear to look at him. I knew I shouldn¡¯t do this. My mind told me that it wasn¡¯t right, but my heart continued heading for him. The path to the room felt really short. However, there were no people on the way back, as if we were lost in our own time. ¡°This must be Luca¡¯s magic, too.¡± ¡°Do you not like it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­there¡¯s only the sound of our steps and breathing here.¡± For some reason, hearing those sounds made me embarrassed, that¡¯s why I tried to change the subject. ¡°By the way, Luca.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The flower crown¡­It¡¯s Luca who put it in my room, right?¡± He slowed down our pace at my question. ¡°Luca is always sweet.¡± ¡°I want to be sweet only to Leona.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sweet enough, Luca. Wasn¡¯t it Luca who always caressed my cheeks sweetly? Last time, and this time, too¡­?¡± Luca just smiled at my question. ¡°Huh? So it¡¯s true?¡± ¡°Do you know that you¡¯re getting thinner?¡± ¡°Me¡­?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t sleep well at night, do you?¡± ¡°No. I think I¡¯ve been sleeping very well¡­¡± ¡°You toss and turn a lot at night. You won¡¯t get quality sleep that way.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know that¡­.but you know it well¡­¡± Finally, Luca stopped. ¡°I want to know more about you, Leona. What do you think of me? Am I the only one who has these feelings? I want to know it all.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°But I will endure it for now because I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be greedy if I know that. I will endure what I want to know and try not to force my heart to you.¡± Why are your eyes so sad? ¡°¡­Luca. As for me¡­¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± His voice trembled a little. ¡°I like Luca.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 78 Chapter 78 I could see his pupils quivering for a moment. Listening to my heartfelt confession, he became silent for a moment. ¡°Someday¡­.If Rere gets better and I have a choice, I¡¯ll hold your hand and tell you properly.¡± I love you. I will say that. Since I came to this world, he was the one I wanted next to me, aside from Rere. With a trembling hand, I held his hand tightly. ¡°So would you wait for a little while?¡± I was afraid my feelings for him would end our blooming relationship, but I wanted to confess regardless. This is how I feel. ¡°If you say it like that, then I guess I have no other choice.¡± He sounded like he was grumbling, and I could only smile. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know how I should face you, Leona.¡± ¡°How do you face me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I wish for whenever I look at you like this, Leona. I wish I¡¯m the only one in those eyes.¡± ¡°Luca.¡± ¡°I¡¯m jealous of the young lady. She can have you the entire time. I know that I can¡¯t have you, but I keep getting greedy.¡± What should I say? ¡°I keep having these thoughts. I should¡¯ve let you go that day. I shouldn¡¯t hold you down here just because I want to see you more.¡± How should I look at you? ¡°I¡¯ve been here for many years and erased people¡¯s memories whenever I deemed it necessary. But there¡¯s no way I can erase your memory.¡± My heart is breaking. His voice began to tremble. ¡°I¡¯m someone who can disappear at any time. I always believed that it¡¯d be better to erase people¡¯s memories of me. That¡¯s what I always believed, yet my steps, my eyes, my whole mind are always directed at you.¡± Have I ever received this kind of affection before? Both in my past life and present life. All the affection I received in Korea and here. While I lived as Leona, I received the warm love of family, which I never had, through Rere. And I experienced romantic feelings between a man and woman through Luca. I never imagined that someone actually cared about me or how my life would lighten because of them. ¡°I¡¯m glad that Luca is here. The reason why I want to stay is because of Luca.¡± ¡°But, if things go south later¡­I will eventually disappear.¡± ¡°Luca.¡± I stopped and turned to face him. I caressed the hand holding mine and smiled gently. ¡°I won¡¯t forget. I still don¡¯t know what kind of being Luca is, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Even if I only have one minute to love, I will remember you and love you only.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°And there will only be you in my future. So don¡¯t worry about anything. Now, you must do your best while living in the present. I will do my best, too. So that Luca can be my future.¡± Only then did Luca laugh. ¡°If you say it like that, then I guess I have no other choice.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything, Luca. Because Luca can¡¯t tell me anything, right? About your identity¡­.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded as soon as I heard his firm answer. ¡°Does your future depend on me?¡± I stroked the cheeks of a man who nodded sadly. ¡°Then I will encourage you more.¡± I suddenly realized that I couldn¡¯t even confess properly. I tried to understand him, a man who always said that he liked me every single time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a hunch that everything will work out just fine.¡± His eyes looked darker than usual. ¡°I don¡¯t want to part ways with you even for a moment. I don¡¯t want you to be sad.¡± I smiled and rose onto my tiptoes. ¡°Lower your head.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Even when I lifted my tiptoes, I couldn¡¯t reach his head. So I waved my hand, and only then did he bow his head as if he understood my gesture. So I stroked his head. His hair was as soft as a puppy¡¯s fur. ¡°Leona¡­.?¡± ¡°Stop making that sad face. It¡¯s not that we¡¯re breaking up right away or we don¡¯t have a future.¡± Only then did a smile spread on his face. ¡°I see.¡± He slowly raised his head and put his hand on my head this time. ¡°Leona, you¡¯re doing great, too.¡± ¡°Then, shall we go now?¡± I was a little embarrassed when I stroked his head, but when he did it to me, I felt extremely flustered. As someone who had never been praised by anyone in life, it was the first time I received such a sincere compliment. ¡°Alright. Young Miss will be waiting.¡± Only then did Luca hold my hand again. ¡°Do we still have a long way to go to Rere¡¯s room?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± He scratched his head and grinned. Then he grabbed my shoulders to turn me around. Instantly, my surroundings completely changed. ¡°Huh¡­¡± ¡°Madam? How did you suddenly appear?¡± I was right in front of Rere¡¯s room. ¡°I guess I came in too fast¡­you guys didn¡¯t seem to be aware¡­¡± Leaving the dazed maids behind, I awkwardly entered the room. In other words, we had already arrived earlier, but Luca hid us. ¡°Luca¡­.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He was following behind me and smiled as if nothing had happened. Looking at his brazen attitude, I smiled and walked toward Rere immediately. ¡°Big Bunny!¡± As soon as I entered the room, Rere pouted. The child had become a little thinner due to the sickness. ¡°Are you up?¡± ¡°Yes! Do you know how surprised I was when I woke up and Big Bunny wasn¡¯t around?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was going to tell Rere first, but¡­.¡± ¡°You have to wake me up next time! Do you know how shocked I am when Big Bunny isn¡¯t on my side when I wake up?¡± So I hugged the child sitting in her bed crossing her arms. ¡°I won¡¯t do that again.¡± ¡°Yeah! Don¡¯t forget your promise! Luca promised to pick up Big Bunny, so I trusted him and waited here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Rere lifted the flower crown next to her and placed it on her head. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I heard this was made by Big Bunny!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Madam did it when the Young Miss was sleeping.¡± It was the nanny. Just this morning she had said that she didn¡¯t know who put the flower crown in Rere¡¯s room. ¡°I like it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I saw Madam make it this morning.¡± Luca was the one who made that flower crown, but he patted my shoulder with ease. It was Luca. He had altered the nanny¡¯s memory¡­ ¡°Madam personally went out at dawn to make it. I saw it.¡± ¡°Really? Big Bunny, why are you going that far for me? Aren¡¯t you going to get sick? My Big Bunny is too kind!¡± Rere quickly got up from her seat at Luca¡¯s lie and touched my head. ¡°I think you¡¯re getting a little feverish.¡± ¡°No. Rere. Mom is completely healthy.¡± I hugged Rere at once. ¡°I think Rere has gotten much thinner now.¡± ¡°Yeah. I couldn¡¯t sleep because Mom wasn¡¯t here. So let me sleep now. I want to sleep more.¡± I looked around and then approached the rocking chair that was placed on one side of the room. Rere always sat there when I worked. ¡°Then I¡¯ll pat you there.¡± ¡°Uuung! I¡¯m so happy!¡± With Rere in my arms, I moved my body up and down for a long time. Sitting in the rocking chair, we slowly fell asleep like babies in a cradle. Rere buried her face in my chest and fell asleep with a gentle breath. So we slept for a long time. It was midday when I woke up again. I didn¡¯t know if she was up first, but Rere wriggled on my chest. ¡°Uuuum¡­¡± Then, when she heard the sound of me waking up, Rere stopped moving and closed her eyes. When I pretended to sleep while opening my eyes slightly, the child wriggled again. ¡°Rere, what are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­.Bunny, aren¡¯t you sleeping? R-Rere didn¡¯t do anything!¡± But Rere, who said she didn¡¯t do anything, quickly hid what was in her hands. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Well¡­.that¡¯s¡­.¡± When I opened my eyes slowly, my hair was already braided beautifully. That wasn¡¯t all, flowers were entangled between the twists and around my crown. ¡°Huh¡­.¡± ¡°Last time I saw you dropped the flower crown¡­so I planted a flower on Big Bunny¡¯s head this time because I was afraid you¡¯d drop it again!¡± ¡°Huh? Did you?¡± ¡°Uung! Because Big Bunny is a flower bunny. Pretty flower bunny! So pretty! Flowers will bloom from Big Bunny¡¯s head!¡± Rere, who grinned, stood up happily and looked down at me. ¡°Rere is also a flower bunny.¡± ¡°Rere is a small bunny flower! Mom is a big Bunny flower! We¡¯re family!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re family.¡± Perhaps she was in a good mood at the word family, Rere smiled so brightly that I couldn¡¯t see her eyes, and then she buried herself back into my chest. ¡°But why don¡¯t you sleep more?¡± ¡°Yeah, strangely, I didn¡¯t sleep much because of Big Bunny, but it doesn¡¯t hurt much now. I feel like I¡¯m getting healthier.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah! I don¡¯t even have a fever!¡± Then I suddenly remembered what the doctor said. ¡°Rere.¡± Rere, who had buried her head in my chest, slightly raised her head. ¡°Do you remember when you were sick?¡± ¡°Yes! I was really angry because of my daddy!¡± ¡°Was there anything weird at the time? Did you have a sudden headache or anything?¡± ¡°Um¡­my whole body got hot. Very very hot.¡± Children¡¯s disease symptoms are usually vague. Even if anywhere else is hurt, they¡¯ll say that their stomach hurts. I asked just in case the same happened with Rere. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m just curious if it¡¯s because of mental illness or stress, or is there another reason?¡± ¡°Bunny.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t hurt as long as I¡¯m with Bunny! I have a good feeling about that!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 79 Chapter 79 As I watched her silently, Rere closed her eyes tightly as if she was in a great mood. ¡°Rere has a good feeling about it¡­! I felt the same thing when I first met Big Bunny!¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yeah! I know right away that we¡¯ll be deeply in love!¡± ¡°¡­But Rere told Big Bunny to get lost back then.¡± ¡°Did I do that?¡± Rere rolled her eyes as if it were her first time hearing it. ¡°Yeah. You said ¡®get lwost¡¯ to be exact.¡± ¡°¡­Mom.¡± ¡°You called me Big Bunny until a while ago, but now you call me Mom?¡± ¡°¡­.Anyways. I guess my Big Bunny¡¯s memory isn¡¯t that good.¡± Rere wagged her fingers, making a serious expression. ¡°Huh? Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah! R-Rere, at that time definitely¡­umm¡­I said, ¡¯Uah! Is she my mom? Is she really my mom¡­!¡¯. So I think Big Bunny must have misheard me saying ¡®Get lost¡¯! Rere laughed awkwardly while rubbing her head against my chest, perhaps because she knew that she wasn¡¯t making sense either. ¡°Anyway! What I want to say is I won¡¯t be sick in the future. Because I have my mom by my side now.¡± ¡°I really hope so too. Still, I will make sure that Rere doesn¡¯t get sick.¡± ¡°Yup! I¡¯ll believe in you!¡± I patted her back so that Rere could sleep again. ¡°Okay. You should sleep now, my dear Rere.¡± ¡°But it feels nice to lean on you like this. Big Bunny¡¯s heart is pounding.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It sounds good to hear. Like music.¡± ¡°I guess it sounds like that because I love Rere so much.¡± ¡°Thump, thump. Listening to it¡­I think I¡¯m falling asleep.¡± Instead of answering, I looked down at Rere. Although she said she felt better, she quickly fell asleep indicating that her physical condition was not good. I also fell asleep watching the child sleeping peacefully. *** It was another full week before Rere could move her body as usual. While preparing for Rere¡¯s medicine for the last time, the doctor once again stressed his message from last time. ¡°Madam, you haven¡¯t got any information yet, right?¡± ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t gone out yet.¡± ¡°I see. I was looking everywhere, but it seems that there¡¯s no other place that could give the right answer. For our Young Miss¡¯ sake¡­.please do that.¡± He was an untrustworthy doctor, but his skills were trustworthy. Even if the doctor hadn¡¯t told me to go there, I would seek any possible method for Rere and go to the temple myself. ¡®It¡¯s not that difficult to go there.¡¯ The problem is whether the temple was going to help me or not. ¡®As expected, in this case, power is the best.¡¯ Since the temple was weak against power. Would my status as a Duchess be enough? Or should I ask the Duke to give some money and bribe them? Since they seemed to love money. ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll be waiting to hear from you. Then, Miss, you¡¯re all better, so you don¡¯t have to take any medicine.¡± ¡°Uung!¡± Rere gobbled down the medicine at once and jumped down from the chair. ¡°Bunny, bunny! Let¡¯s go eat now.¡± ¡°Rere. Isn¡¯t the medicine bitter?¡± ¡°Yeah! But if I don¡¯t take medicine, I can¡¯t play with Big Bunny, so I¡¯ll eat it even if it tastes bitter.¡± Just like a child who gets used to needles, Rere took medicine better than I did. Usually, she¡¯d be very blunt if she didn¡¯t like something, but she just took the medicine in a good mood. ¡°Then let¡¯s go! It¡¯s been a while since I had a family meal!¡± ¡°Do you like it that much?¡± ¡°Yes! If I don¡¯t do this, Big Bunny and Daddy wouldn¡¯t be together.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I want to give up at this point¡­.but I shouldn¡¯t give up because of Daddy!¡± Rere shook her round head from side to side as if it was a very serious matter. ¡°Give up?¡± ¡°Yup! I hate him so much that I want to change my daddy right away, but I¡¯m worried if I don¡¯t see him again. Haaa¡­ I¡¯m such a nice daughter!¡± Rere shrugged her shoulders cutely and sighed. ¡°Haa. Seriously. I guess there¡¯s nothing I can do if such a nice daughter like me has a silly daddy.¡± ¡°Is Rere nice?¡± ¡°Of couuurse! Why! Is Rere not nice to Big Bunny?¡± ¡°No. Rere is too nice.¡± I bent down and held Rere in my arms. ¡°I¡¯m worried because Rere is too nice.¡± ¡°Yeah, Rere is a bit nice.¡± ¡°I know right? So Mom is really worried. What if a boy like the Crown Prince saw my Rere-¡± Rere pouted even before I finished speaking. ¡°I don¡¯t like him.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like him?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t like him 200 times more than my daddy.¡± ¡°But maybe you¡¯ll come to like him¡­¡± ¡°Never. Even if Big Bunny suddenly changes form and becomes Big Tiger. I will never like him. I can tell how annoying and mean he is. Who is he to be so rude to my Big Bunny?¡± Rere gritted her small teeth, and clenched her fists. ¡°R-Really?¡± I was glad Rere hated him so much. In the original story, Rere pestered the Duke, saying she wanted to be the Prince¡¯s partner after falling in love at first sight. The Emperor also liked Rere at that time, so Rere became the Crown Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e at a young age. She traveled back and forth between the Imperial Palace and the mansion. But now¡­. ¡°He¡¯s ugly.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if I should say that it¡¯s a relief now. ¡°Is he really ugly? He wasn¡¯t that ugly when Mom saw him.¡± I tried to test her, in case she was actually interested in him. But the next moment I saw Rere¡¯s angry face, which I hadn¡¯t encountered in a while. ¡°¡­He¡¯s no different than a golden poo. He¡¯s very ugly.¡± ¡°¡­R-Really?¡± ¡°So Big Bunny, don¡¯t even think about him again. I think I¡¯ll hate gold from now on! Okay!¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Huffing, Rere stretched her hand forward. ¡°Let¡¯s go eat now. At this rate, I¡¯m going to faint because I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go.¡± Because I was running late, I had no choice but to go to the dining room quickly. As expected, the Duke was already seated there. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± ¡°Next time, I want to eat separately so that I won¡¯t be late.¡± ¡°¡­You can be late.¡± The Duke was really acting like a child. He was like a little kid who whines about everything and changes his mind at the drop of a hat. ¡°Rather, how did your meeting with Princess Astra go?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I completely forgot since you didn¡¯t even ask. She knelt down and apologized. That woman.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± I thought about telling him that Astra might return later and that everything was thanks to Luca, but I swallowed the news along with my food because he didn¡¯t seem very curious. Rere was busy eating, perhaps because her appetite had returned recently. Sometimes she smiled at me, but she didn¡¯t talk at all. Because of this, the dining room was only filled with the sounds of tableware clanking. By the time the second maid¡¯s dish was presented, I made eye contact with the Duke. ¡°There¡¯s a place I want to go.¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°¡­I want to go to the temple.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll prepare the carriage for you. Or I can accompany you there.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s okay not to go with you. I want to go with Rere.¡± Clank-! When I said that, he put down his utensil roughly. ¡°..Why are you refusing my escort, but bringing Rere along with you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since the two of us went out. Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think the two of us ever went out alone¡­¡± However, the Duke looked askance, as if he was offended. ¡°Rere isn¡¯t feeling well. Going out is prohibited as much as possible.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you take her to the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°It was an urgent matter.¡± That¡¯s nonsense! ¡°¡­.I want to go out!¡± Rere, who was still munching on her food, chipped in. ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­Why?!¡± ¡°You will fall down again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because of Daddy! Without you, I won¡¯t faint!¡± Hearing Rere talk back to him, his face collapsed inward. ¡°That¡¯s..!¡± ¡°So I¡¯m going out with my mom. Don¡¯t stop me.¡± Looking at Rere, he quietly swallowed what he was going to say and spoke in a low tone. ¡°If you¡¯re going to go, the three of us must go together. And you can¡¯t go to the temple. People in the temple aren¡¯t trustworthy.¡± ¡°Why do you hate the temple so much?¡± ¡°Because they tried to dig into Rere¡¯s birth to discover the truth.¡± Everything finally made sense. ¡°Then, it seems we can¡¯t go to the temple. Rere, let¡¯s go somewhere else with our family next time.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to. Then, Big Bunny is going alone? Huh?¡± I had no choice but to soften my own expression when I saw Rere¡¯s disappointed face. ¡°Instead, I¡¯ll come up with another idea so Rere and Daddy can go somewhere where you both can have fun.¡± ¡°¡­Hum. Okay! Then Daddy, let¡¯s go play with all three of us, okay? Okay? The three of us never go out to play. Rere is always here.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s dangerous outside¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never fainted outside! I was doing fine when I went out a few times before.¡± His eyes trembled a little. ¡°¡­That¡¯s true, but..¡± ¡°So don¡¯t worry! Okay? We can go safely. Hmmm? I want to go play!¡± He was silent for a long time as if deep in thought. Then he laughed as if he had a good idea. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do something surprising for Rere as a father.¡± ¡°¡­What else are you going to do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secret. But I¡¯m sure Rere will be quite surprised.¡± Rere¡¯s face filled with anxiety at his words. ¡°I think it¡¯s better for Daddy not to do anything¡­¡± ¡°Please trust Daddy just this once.¡± ¡°And if I don¡¯t trust Daddy¡­?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go out.¡± ¡°¡­Okay. I¡¯ll believe you.¡± Rere didn¡¯t have any choice but to yield to him. ¡°You should trust me, too.¡± ¡­.I had to smile awkwardly as I heard the Duke utter the most dubious words in the world. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 80 Chapter 80 ¡°Are you going today?¡± ¡°Hmm. While Leona is away, I¡¯m thinking of spending family time with Rere.¡± ¡°No. I want to play alone. Daddy is boring.¡± Rere put down her fork grumpily. ¡°Suddenly, thinking about playing with Daddy makes me lose my appetite.¡± She even leaned back and left the food that she had been eating so eagerly. ¡°Why, Rere? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have great fun playing with Daddy.¡± ¡°¡­Not really.¡± ¡°You used to want to play with your daddy.¡± ¡°Really? I don¡¯t remember.¡± Rere looked at the Duke with a pout on her face. ¡°But what can I do? My daddy wants to play with Rere, so I have to grant his wish. Haaa..being popular is suuuper difficult.¡± Rere shook her shoulders while looking at the dumbfounded Duke. ¡°Hoo. I guess you¡¯re not happy with it?¡± ¡°N-No, of course I¡¯m happy.¡± ¡°But your reaction is just so-so.¡± ¡°No! So what are we going to play today, I wonder?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. Why don¡¯t you think about it, Daddy?¡± Rere, who had crossed her arms, tapped her own head as if telling the Duke to use his brain. ¡°I want to listen to what you have in mind first.¡± ¡°Uh, um¡­I don¡¯t know? Something fun¡­how about reading books? Or drinking tea?¡± ¡°¡­Daddy.¡± Listening to the Duke, Rere flared her nostrils. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know my daddy was such a boring person. What did you say again? Reading books and drinking tea, huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s going to be a lot of fun?¡± ¡°Not at all. But my mom brings me books that suit my age, and my daddy only reads books that are difficult to read! It¡¯s no fun!¡± The Duke contemplated for a while then clapped his hands as if he had thought of something great. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of something fun!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The most interesting thing in the world! With your daddy!¡± ¡°With Daddy?¡± ¡°Deep conversation!¡± For a moment, Rere was speechless and looked at the Duke as if he was a hopeless case. ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s been a long time since you talked to your daddy, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­Daddy.¡± ¡°Yes! You¡¯re looking forward to it, right?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m going to sleep. I¡¯m suddenly feeling sleepy. Haaaa. Big Bunny, hurry up and go. Rere will be sleeping in the room instead of playing with Daddy. Rere jumped down from her seat, stretched her body and was about to walk off. ¡°Rere, don¡¯t do that and play with your daddy instead, hmm? I¡¯ll play whatever game that Rere wants to play!¡± ¡°¡­Hm..¡± ¡°I¡¯ll play any games with you!¡± ¡°Okay! Then let¡¯s play hide-and-seek!¡± ¡°¡­Hide¡­and seek?¡± ¡°Yeah! I played it with Big Bunny. If you hide, I¡¯ll try to find you.¡± ¡°It seems very easy. Alright. Let¡¯s play that.¡± ¡°Yeay!¡± Somehow, I was feeling uneasy watching the Duke who seemed confident. ¡°Can you really play with Rere?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯m Rere¡¯s daddy. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°How about Rere? Will you be alright?¡± ¡°Mmh. I¡¯m also worried about this, but Daddy looks so confident.¡± Even if she felt uneasy, Rere hesitated for a while and grabbed the Duke¡¯s hand as he stood behind her. ¡°Then you have to leave and come back quickly, Big Bunny. I¡¯ll be playing with my daddy.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± When I was about to leave, Rere ran toward me and spread her arms, asking to be hugged. So I held the child in my arms. ¡°Come home quickly and play with us, okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. Rere, go have fun with your daddy now.¡± Even though I said so, Rere didn¡¯t let go for a long time. ¡°Tell me, Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not running away, right? You¡¯re not going to leave me like last time, right¡­?¡± ¡°Of courseee. I won¡¯t ever do that again to Rere.¡± ¡°But, but¡­.¡± I held the child, who couldn¡¯t let go of me, more tightly in my arms. ¡°If Rere doesn¡¯t like it, should I not go then?¡± ¡°No¡­Rere is not a child anymore so it¡¯s okay to leave me, but I¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah?¡± ¡°Rere is Mom¡¯s guardian.¡± ¡°Guardian?¡± I rubbed my cheeks against the child¡¯s chubby cheeks. ¡°You were my guardian that made my dull life shine more than anyone ever will. That¡¯s why I will never leave you. Until Rere lets go of me later.¡± At that time, Rere kissed my cheek. ¡°Flower bunny. You¡¯re saying nice things today, too. Alright. I¡¯ll trust you, Big Bunny. Hurry and come back safely, okay?¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ll be right back. Have fun with your daddy.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± I put Rere on the floor and glanced at the Duke. But he shrugged his shoulders confidently as if he was reassuring me not to worry about anything. ¡°¡­You are the last person I would expect to have such eyes, so I feel quite uncomfortable.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my eyes?¡± ¡°¡­Nothing. Please take good care of Rere.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Leave it to me.¡± After saying that, he ordered the servant to prepare a carriage as he went out of the room. I looked at their retreating backs for a long time and returned to Rere¡¯s room to grab the money I had saved. Then I climbed into the carriage he had prepared for me. ¡°Luca?¡± Luca was already inside the carriage before me. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Shh. No one knows.¡± ¡°Madam, is there anything you find uncomfortable?¡± When I got on the carriage but didn¡¯t sit down immediately, the coachman asked me to make sure if I was alright. Luca was sitting in the blind spot to evade the coachman¡¯s sight and placed his index finger on his lips leisurely. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You can close the door right away. Let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± It wasn¡¯t until I heard the door close that I slowly took a seat. After a while, the carriage began to move. Only then Luca rose from his seat and sat next to me. ¡°W-What are you doing!¡± ¡°Why are you asking? I just thought the coachman would hear my voice if I conversed with you from over there.¡± His finger pointed to where he had been sitting. Just as Luca said, that spot was close to the small window that was right behind the coachman. The moment I realized it, my face turned red. ¡°A-Ah, I see. Haha. I think I misunderstood again.¡± ¡°Misunderstood? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah, misunderstood¡­what I mean is..um..haha¡­¡± At that time, He brought himself closer and closer. The sweet scent that seemed to drive me crazy every time puzzled me. ¡°Why are your cheeks so red?¡± It¡¯s because of you. His big hand gently swept my cheek. My cheeks were already flushed to the point where Luca¡¯s hand felt cold. ¡°I-It¡¯s not red. But why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little worried about sending you alone. By the way, what¡¯s going on today? Leona, I was surprised to hear that you went out so suddenly?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­.I¡¯m going to the temple. Just like the doctor said, we might be able to find someone who has a similar disease with Rere if we go to the temple.¡± It was my first time sitting alone with him in a carriage, so my heart beat like crazy. Even if he stayed still, it seemed to me his breath filled the carriage. So I was busy talking quickly. ¡°¡­Oh, I see! That honestly didn¡¯t cross my mind.¡± Somehow Luca¡¯s eyes shone as if he was more concerned about Rere than the Duke himself. ¡°Luca seems to care about Rere a lot.¡± ¡°Of course, maybe it¡¯s not as much as Leona, but I love her like my own daughter.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But Leona seems to worry a lot about Young Miss¡¯ illness.¡± ¡°Because she faints often¡­so I¡¯m worried¡­¡± ¡°The doctor said it wasn¡¯t a life-threatening disease.¡± ¡°What if she won¡¯t get better? We don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take¡­I think it¡¯s better to find a solution early.¡± Because Rere¡¯s illness doesn¡¯t even seem to get better until she becomes an adult. So I would do anything to find out the cause of the disease. Because I didn¡¯t want to see Rere suffer from that disease until she became an adult. Of course, Rere wouldn¡¯t die in vain as long as she didn¡¯t get involved with the crown prince, but still, I felt impatience that she still had to suffer from illness. I don¡¯t want to see Rere collapse right in front of me again even if I die. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Do I look like there¡¯s another reason as to why I¡¯m doing this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­There can¡¯t be another reason or anything. It¡¯s because I care about Rere more than anyone else. I just want my child not to get sick.¡± I couldn¡¯t muster up my courage to tell him the truth. That I was actually from a different world, and this world is inside a book. I couldn¡¯t possibly say it, so I just made things up. ¡°You have such a warm heart. I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be a way for my Young Miss to recover thanks to Leona.¡± Luca calmly swept back my hair. ¡°But sometimes, when I see Leona speaking so sweetly like this, I feel like you were an outsider.¡± ¡°Outsider¡­¡± ¡°Everyone is born with a little magic power. Some are strong and some are weak. However, that does not necessarily mean that they have the same amount of mana even if they were categorized as strong or weak. Just as each person looks different, the flow of mana is different in shape and size. Leona is an unusual case.¡± ¡°¡­W-What do you mean special case?¡± At that time, my vision got a little blurry. ¡°W-What are you talking about? Haha. I can¡¯t believe you said that. Since I was born my life has always been normal. So I can¡¯t be a special case.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± His smiling face felt a little strange. It seemed to me that he was fascinated by me. So I waved my hand as if it was ridiculous. ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Maybe I felt that way because you were the one I love. Because everything about you is special to me. From your breathing, your steps, and smiles. I guess that must be why.¡± He quietly looked at me for a long time, and I returned his gaze. What Luca said about me being ¡®an outsider¡¯ strangely bothered me, but I made eye contact with him as if nothing had happened. We stared at each other for a long time. And not long after, the carriage stopped. It didn¡¯t take long because there was a temple below the mountain where the Duke¡¯s castle was located. As I glanced back at Luca, I removed the curtain hanging from the window. The scenery I saw was different from last time. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Obviously, no one cared whether I came or not last time. But now the priests surrounded the carriage like bodyguards. ¡°¡­My goodness.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Leona?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s like getting swarmed by ants.¡± ¡°Ants¡­?¡± ¡°I suppose the temple is full of materialistic people.¡± He chuckled when he saw crowds of people just outside the window. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back.¡± At that time, the carriage gradually stopped. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going together?¡± ¡°Ah! It seems you¡¯re here without the coachman knowing, so I thought you weren¡¯t coming with me ¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not wary of the coachman. I was wary of His Excellency. I don¡¯t want him to see me.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t allow me to go out, you see.¡± Luca reached out to stroke my cheek. ¡°Why would he do that to Luca?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s jealous.¡± ¡°Of us?¡± I stared at him as if it was absurd, but he just nodded silently to my question. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t it because you¡¯re skipping work?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s because I¡¯ll be out with you.¡± ¡°¡­.Huh?¡± ¡°And only the Duke can see through spatial magic that can distort space. That¡¯s what happened recently. At first, he didn¡¯t have the ability to see it.¡± Luca looked genuinely disappointed. ¡°Can he use magic, too?¡± ¡°Originally, the Duke of Petri who reached adulthood will manifest that power. However, the current Duke Petri was unable to manifest his power until recently.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Because his power stopped manifesting when he was young.¡± ¡°By any chance, would that be an answer to everything that happened so far¡­.? Is it related to what you said before? You said something similar, didn¡¯t you?¡± I bombarded him with questions, but instead of answering, Luca took a step closer to the carriage door. ¡°Shall we get out now?¡± Just in time, I heard a knock from outside. ¡°Madam, may I open the carriage door?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The carriage door slowly opened at my words. From where I alighted, I saw the road spread out all the way to the white marble building. This luxurious entrance was definitely different from the last time I came here to pray. Luca, who got off the carriage first, reached out his hand to escort me. ¡°Let me help you, Duchess.¡± He embodied the chivalry of a knight right away, as if the figure who brushed my cheeks affectionately just a few minutes ago was a lie. Meanwhile, the coachman next to Luca just looked at him as if he was stunned. ¡°Madam?¡± ¡°Oh. Thank you.¡± Soon, I took his hand and got off the carriage. In the meantime, the priests began to crowd around me. Luca threw a sharp glance at them to protect me. There was a man who walked with his chest out among the priests. ¡°May I know which family you belong to?¡± ¡°I am Duchess Leona Petri of Petri Dukedom.¡± The man¡¯s face beamed when he heard my title. His expression was similar to that of a swindler. ¡°I knew that someone from Petri Dukedom came when the carriage arrived, but I didn¡¯t expect the infamous Duchess to personally visit.¡± Unlike others, the man in a white priest¡¯s uniform made of silk looked up and down at me before bowing his head. His gaze was unpleasant. ¡°Even Duke Petri doesn¡¯t come to the temple often¡­.so what brings you here, Duchess?¡± ¡°Do you mean I shouldn¡¯t come?¡± ¡°No. I am very pleased to have you here.¡± I looked at the man in silence. While I was passing by, I found it strange that the priests¡¯ faces looked greasier than any commoner¡¯s. I even thought they washed their face with oil every morning. I wondered how much weight they gained. It was a very different appearance compared to when they prayed for the lives of the poor. ¡°Pardon me for my belated introduction, Madam. My name is Raphael.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I looked at the last person who greeted me for a long time. As I¡¯ve observed before, this man¡¯s clothes were definitely different. This man wore a shiny silk outfit, while the other wore an airy cotton fabric. ¡°Are you looking for someone?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­.it¡¯s my first time coming to the temple.¡± ¡°Haha, I see. Don¡¯t worry. People who reside here are either novitiate or junior priests. That¡¯s why I will guide you today. I¡¯m a senior priest.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°God seems to have guided me to the Duchess. If it weren¡¯t for me, you would have a hard time entering. A man in his 30¡¯s raised his chin. Then, a unique pattern was seen on his neck collar. As if to show how important that was, the man named Raphael fiddled with his collar with a haughty expression. ¡°As the senior priest here, I will escort you inside immediately. Hoho.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± His steps looked more enthusiastic than ever. But it was true that the priests who swarmed us like a wolfpack chasing its prey slowly retreated when Raphael began to guide me. They looked genuinely disappointed that they lost their mark. ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention that this is your first time visiting the temple? I¡¯d like to show you around¡­¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not here to pray.¡± ¡°Is that so? How peculiar. Usually, the Madam of a noble household comes here to pray for the prosperity of the family by giving a large donation.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, our family doesn¡¯t need any of that.¡± ¡°¡­R-Really? But the donation¡­.¡± Wow. What the hell? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ll guide me? ¡°Well, I¡¯m here for something else.¡± ¡°What would that be?¡± ¡°Um, first of all, I¡¯d like to meet the high priest. Can I have an audience with him right now?¡± ¡°Oh! Do you want to talk with the high priest? Well, I¡¯m not really sure¡­but he¡¯s quite busy and he¡¯s also a very private person, so that¡¯d be a bit difficult ¡­.¡± His friendly attitude completely disappeared when I told him that I didn¡¯t want to donate. What kind of priests are they? Rather than a temple to worship God, I thought it¡¯d be more befitting to call it a temple to worship money. Perhaps that¡¯s why they competed to serve me, who came here as a Duchess. Because they thought I had more money than ordinary believers. This was not a good sign. ¡°Is that so? Hmm..that¡¯s too bad. Then I should return now.¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t think I can walk you back. I have a lot of work to do as a senior priest, you see.¡± It¡¯d be better to just give him money. ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll have to ask someone else. I¡¯ll give the donation to¡­¡± ¡°Hoho. It¡¯d be a different story if you were going to donate money. I¡¯ll make sure to use my name to get you to the high priest.¡± Unlike before, his eyes shone disgustingly. From the look on his face, it seemed like he urged me to give him the money right away, so I had no choice but to take out my purse. ¡°Ohh!¡± ¡°¡­.I can meet the high priest if I donate money, right?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll arrange it no matter what with my name on the line!¡± Looking at his twinkling eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but give my purse to him. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll give you this as a contribution.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a wonderful idea! Since the Duchess is here, we will serve you wholeheartedly.¡± He grinned and suddenly opened the door in front of him. ¡°Where is this¡­.¡± ¡°This is the guest room. If you stay here, I will bring the high priest to you.¡± ¡°¡­Alright. Thank you.¡± ¡°Yes. High Priest Caleb is someone who likes to move from place to place, so I ask for your patience to wait a little more.¡± After saying that, he hummed a tune as if he was in a good mood and went out. And I stood there speechless for a while. ¡°Caleb¡­.?¡± ¡°Leona? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡± ¡°No¡­that¡­his name is Caleb. I¡¯ve heard it before.¡± As if worried about me, Luca held my hand tightly as soon as the senior priest left the room. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°It may be a common name, but¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a common name. Ever since they vowed to become God¡¯s servant, they have abandoned their real names and only used the name granted by God. All the names of the priests here are said to be a continuation of their past names.¡± I frowned at his smooth explanation. ¡°That means¡­¡± ¡°They don¡¯t use their priest name outside. Because that¡¯s considered a form of blasphemy. Conversely, they don¡¯t use the names they were called outside right here. For example, Raphael, the priest that just left, means that he¡¯s the guardian of the traveler and is only used here.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s mean, Caleb¡­.¡± ¡°Only one person uses it.¡± I gulped nervously. He can¡¯t be the guy I met last time, can he? ¡°Does his name mean ¡®dog¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And the only person who has that name is High Priest Caleb Benedict Samuel.¡± ¡°¡­.Huh? Don¡¯t tell me he was the person I met last time?¡± ¡°Did you really meet the high priest? He¡¯s not someone you can meet so easily, though.¡± ¡°¡­Right? I must be mistaken. Someone must be pretending to be the high priest. Haha. That can¡¯t be true.¡± I just waved my hand and smiled awkwardly. Who I met last time was surely a homeless person. ¡°Leona, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay. Seems like it will take some time, so let¡¯s just chill out a little bit.¡± To relieve the awkwardness, I walked to the window and opened the door that led to the terrace. But then, ¡°Argh!¡± A man was standing in front of me. When I was surprised, the man suddenly entered with a relaxed smile. ¡°Oops! I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to surprise you like this¡­¡± ¡°Y-You! H-Homeless guy¡­?!¡± ¡°¡­Haha. I¡¯m not homeless. I¡¯m Caleb.¡± Luca bowed his head in a hurry when he saw the homeless guy scratching his head. ¡°Greetings to the High Priest.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 82 Chapter 82 High Priest? Ah, so this man was the High Priest. I looked up and down at him dazedly, unable to grasp the situation yet. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I last saw you.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sure at that time¡­.¡± ¡°Leona. He¡¯s Caleb Benedict Samuel, the High Priest.¡± Luca introduced him with his usual friendly tone. I was still stunned, but no matter how I looked at him, I was sure that he was the person I met last time. The man who stole my money. I thought he was either homeless or a scammer. Is he really the High Priest? Meanwhile, the man who was looking at Luca laughed. ¡°Hoo. Most people don¡¯t know about me, but it seems you know a lot.¡± ¡°My name is Luca. I¡¯m the knight of Duke Ian Petri.¡± ¡°But how can you know me? Duke Ian Petri only came to visit me a long time ago¡­I don¡¯t think you were there at that time.¡± Luca only responded to his words with a silent smile. There was an awkward silence in the air for a brief moment. ¡°I think we¡¯ve seen each other somewhere.¡± ¡°Really? I see.¡± I could briefly feel a strange atmosphere between the two. It felt like I¡¯d be bound to make a mistake if I opened my mouth here. ¡°Besides, what brings you here Mrs. Leona?¡± ¡°Do you remember me¡­?¡± ¡°Of course. I will never forget those who I have seen once. Although I¡¯m an old man, God gave me an excellent memory, you see.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t say hello properly back then. I¡¯m Caleb Benedict Samuel, someone who holds a minor position in this temple.¡± Gosh, what do you mean a minor position? Aren¡¯t you the High Priest? I really hate people who boast while pretending to be humble like him. Moreover, didn¡¯t you remember how I looked last time? I wore an outfit that was very different from that time, though. ¡°I¡¯m¡­Leona Petri.¡± ¡°Oho. I was wondering why the Duke¡¯s carriage came in earlier, turns out it was the Duchess herself.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised? The last time you saw me¡­¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like we can predict when, where and what will happen, right?¡± He looked at me with a warm smile and continued. ¡°And when I first met Mrs. Leona, you seemed like a noble person. As expected, my eyes were not wrong.¡± ¡°Noble¡­?¡± ¡°And what the temple referred to by a noble person has nothing to do with one¡¯s status. It¡¯s about someone¡¯s character.¡± ¡°¡­.But for many people here, the word ¡®noble¡¯ seems to be different from your interpretation.¡± Money, reputation, prestige. All of you seemed really into these kinds of things. As expected, the High Priest also smiled vainly as if he was thinking the same thing. ¡°Because you can¡¯t expect everyone to be the same. By the way, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Oh! I came to meet the High Priest.¡± ¡°Are you talking about me?¡± ¡°Yes. There are documents that can only be viewed with the permission of the High Priest.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°I heard there are patient records in the temple. Is that right? Only a small number of people among the officials can see them.¡± He caressed his chin as he listened to me attentively. ¡°There¡¯s something like that. But may I know your purpose¡­.?¡± ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m a Duchess who doesn¡¯t know for sure when I¡¯ll be kicked out.¡± ¡°Huh? Come again?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The High Priest and Luca voiced their surprise one after another. ¡°Haha. Why is everyone so surprised? Judging by what happened last time, I will never know when I¡¯ll be a fugitive again. That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to embezzle money little by little.¡± ¡°Embe- what?¡± ¡°Uh.. Umm. I mean I want to save some money for myself.¡± After being overly vulgar with my words, I quickly rephrased it. Because I always made sure to put some truth in every lie I spouted. That way, I could say it with much confidence and hopefully convince people with my words. Especially on this issue. There was nothing good in revealing Rere¡¯s sickness to the whole world. ¡°A-Ah¡­I see¡­¡± ¡°But I discovered one very important fact.¡± ¡°W-What do you mean by important?¡± ¡°Yes. So, actually, I don¡¯t have much time left to live¡­.not too long ago, my family told me about that. So I looked into it, but no one had the same disease as me. I really want to live long, so the fact that I¡¯m about to die was quite a blow to me. And I don¡¯t even know what will happen if I¡¯m no longer under the Duchy protection as a Duchess ¡­.¡± I sighed deeply, forcing tears to well up without dropping. At this moment, I felt a little grateful to my family for doing useless things and giving Leona a hard time. Thanks to them, I was able to lie easily like this. ¡°A-Are you sick?!¡± Luca and the High Priest couldn¡¯t hide their surprise. So I intentionally raised my voice as if something big had happened to me. ¡°Yes, well¡­but it¡¯s not known what type of disease it is. It¡¯s a bit unusual. So I want to know if there are people who have similar diseases to mine. Even the doctor didn¡¯t know about this disease.¡± Of course, it was a lie. The Duke had not yet found the doctor who treated Leona the day I possessed her body. Thanks to that, I had no idea what kind of disease I have in my body nor what kind of diagnosis was made at that time. But I made a sad face as if I had been suffering from it. ¡°I really have no idea whether I¡¯m going to die soon.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say that. That¡¯s not going to happen!¡± ¡°Every living thing will eventually die¡­but I don¡¯t want to die so early. That¡¯s why I really need the record of this temple¡¯s patients.¡± ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll do what I can for you¡­.but it might be a little hard for now¡­¡± My face, which briefly got brighter, darkened again as if it was sprinkled with ash. ¡°Why?¡± Maybe he wasn¡¯t really the High Priest, after all. ¡°¡­I ran away because I didn¡¯t want to work.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± At that time, it was noisy outside as if someone had been listening to our conversation. ¡°Oops. I think someone is coming. I should get going now.¡± ¡°W-What? Where are you going now?¡± ¡°I want to avoid troublesome work.¡± He was so determined to leave. ¡°But¡­we haven¡¯t finished talking¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find you. I would love to meet someone as precious as you again. Let¡¯s talk about it then.¡± After finishing his words, the High Priest rushed to the terrace that he had just left. It must be very urgent considering a man in his 70s rushed out like that. ¡®He¡¯s very vigorous.¡¯ And by the time he disappeared completely, the door burst open. ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting for a long time. I had a hard time finding the High Priest, you see.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It was Raphael who had left earlier. After entering the door with his chest out, he looked at me for a while before stepping back. ¡°The High Priest is here.¡± And there was another man next to him. ¡°I heard someone came to see me. I¡¯m the High Priest.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t resemble the High Priest Caleb that I know.¡± That man entered the room. He looked about the same age as High Priest Caleb with a slightly thinner physique and sharper features. The man shook his hands in bewilderment because of my words. ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­.What are you talking about? Haha. I¡¯m really the High Priest.¡± ¡°Are there a lot of high priests here?¡± Raphael came closer to us, shaking his head in a hurry. ¡°No, there¡¯s only one person. And the one you¡¯re looking for is right here.¡± ¡°¡­But you¡¯re not the High Priest. You¡¯re a different person. Why are you lying to me?¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you? I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± ¡°I guess this is how the temple has been fooling us. Does a senior priest mean a senior liar?¡± Raphael hurriedly bowed his head at my words. ¡°I-I apologize. Since I couldn¡¯t find the High Priest¡­umm I was in a hurry¡­.so I lied because I didn¡¯t think the Duchess recognized the High Priest. I apologize once again.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m really disappointed. I should get going now.¡± Raphael approached me in a hurry. ¡°That¡¯s¡­I sincerely apologize for that. So please forgive me¡­.¡± Looking into his eyes, I could tell at once what Raphael feared. ¡°But I understand how hard you tried to find the High Priest. So I will ignore this matter, since I was the one who visited without prior notice.¡± His face turned bright. ¡°Ah. I am very touched by your generosity, Duchess Petri.¡± ¡°And about the donation¡­at first, I wanted to take it back, but since you¡¯ve worked hard even if you tried to fool me, I¡¯m going to leave it to you. I¡¯ll consider donating to God instead of praying.¡± ¡°Ah¡­! How generous of you! I could feel how faithful you are with this act of kindness!¡± That was the least thing I wanted to hear from him. Anyway, I have to come here often to research Rere¡¯s illness. However, if it was known that I came here often to look for the documents without any reason, there would be rumors going around about Duchess Petri in no time. If they knew that I had been looking for the temple patients¡¯ records, there would be rumors that someone within our household was sick. Right now, the rumor about Rere¡¯s sickness was nothing but an unfounded speculation, but it was obvious what would happen when the word ¡®sick¡¯ came out in the open. Therefore, it would be more beneficial to spread the rumor that the Duchess is a believer of God who often visited the temple to pray. ¡°Because our God is generous.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. So please¡­I hope you can forget about this matter as well¡­¡± ¡°I will. I¡¯m not someone who goes back on my word. Then I¡¯ll return again. At that time, I hope to see the High Priest instead.¡± ¡°I-I will make sure to do that! I will also see you out¡­¡± Would you trust yourself if you were me? But I laughed more merrily than ever. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Because there was something I had to ask Luca, who was smiling strangely next to me. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 83 Chapter 83 ¡°But I really want to see you off.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s really okay.¡± But Raphael was a very stubborn man. No matter how many times I told him I didn¡¯t need his escort, he didn¡¯t heed my words and took a big lead in front of me. There was not a single thing I wanted from this guy. Nevertheless, I followed him to stay true to my persona as a benevolent Duchess. ¡°Well, if you insist.¡± ¡°If you feel burdened, I¡¯ll only see you off until the entrance.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°But when will the Duchess visit again? We¡¯ll make sure to prepare accordingly.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m coming here to see God. How can I make an appointment for that? There are times when I want to come because I feel my faith begin to waver.¡± I meant to say that I¡¯d visit anytime because I haven¡¯t made an appointment with the High Priest yet. ¡°Ah, I see. I was unable to discern the Duchess¡¯ meaningful thoughts.¡± Without hesitation, he replied with twinkling eyes. ¡°It¡¯s alright. More than that, I think we can go our separate ways now. My knight will escort me from here on.¡± ¡°Oh! I-I¡¯m being too burdensome! Then I¡¯ll have to bid you goodbye right here.¡± He looked surprised as if he had just discovered Luca¡¯s presence even though he kept walking next to me. I wonder how people can be this deceitful? ¡°I will see you next time.¡± ¡°Please come and ask for me next time! I¡¯m Raphael! Please remember me!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± At last, we were finally able to get out of the temple. Fortunately, no one ran toward us, perhaps because we just exited from the inside. On the contrary, a group of people were busy crowding around a guest who just arrived at the temple. They specially targeted people who seemed clueless. ¡°Haa..the way back is much more comfortable.¡± ¡°Because they need to gain new believers. I heard that some of the donations went to line the priests¡¯ pockets.¡± ¡°I knew it¡­¡± It was nothing surprising. The moment they serve for money, the temple itself will lose its original purpose. ¡°But at least it works well for us.¡± ¡°Just as what happened earlier, right?¡± ¡°Yes. They¡¯ll do everything for you as long as you throw money at them. It wasn¡¯t this bad a few years ago¡­recently, it seems the High Priest no longer cares about the temple.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that he¡¯s looking for something. He¡¯s always been someone who¡¯s hard to meet, even His Majesty the Emperor hardly meets him. But he¡¯s gotten worse these days.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± I quietly stroked my chin. So it was hard to meet him, huh? ¡°Is it possible that the High Priest¡­.can¡¯t make contact with ordinary people freely?¡± It was an important question. I thought High Priest Caleb¡¯s behavior was especially strange. It didn¡¯t make sense to bring other people to act as the High Priest. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s been like that for a long time. He always wears a hood that covers his face. Even His Majesty the Emperor rarely saw his face.¡± ¡°¡­.But how is it you recognize him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe I stumbled across him one day?¡± Did he even realize that he just contradicted himself? ¡°Luca, but¡­¡± At that time, Just when I was about to say something more to Luca, I caught a glimpse of a woman. That woman was about to enter the temple. We spotted each other from a distance and didn¡¯t take our eyes off until we got close. But neither of us dared to strike a conversation. We just stared at each other in bewilderment. ¡®Who are you?¡¯ She was strangely familiar. Was she someone from Leona¡¯s lost memory? Just like when she forgot that she was sick prior to her arrival at the Duchy? But the woman passed by me just like that. ¡°Leona?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, yes?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Did you see who just passed by¡­.?¡± ¡°Passed by¡­.?¡± I felt like he had been staring at me the whole time. Even when I pointed my finger in another direction, his eyes were still glued to me. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see her?¡± ¡°Did someone pass by?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Leona was so lovely that I couldn¡¯t see anyone else besides you.¡± He was being too straightforward as usual. Somehow I was embarrassed by his words and walked ahead of him. ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped if you didn¡¯t see it. L-Let¡¯s get going.¡± Fortunately enough, we were close to our carriage. The coach, who was on standby, opened the carriage door as soon as we arrived. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± At the coachman¡¯s words, we immediately climbed into the carriage. The carriage began to move slowly. Finally leaving the temple, I watched as the priests waited for new believers to come. ¡°People in the temple are truly shameless¡­.they¡¯re crazy about money.¡± ¡°They¡¯re tainting the temple¡¯s sacredness. By the way, do you know about temples and gods?¡± ¡°No.¡± Perhaps if I dug into Leona¡¯s memories, I would find the answer somewhere, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything in the moment. ¡°I will try to find more information about it. There must be a reason why they turned out like that. More than that, Leona, do you have anything to say to me?¡± Looking at his serious expression, I scratched my head. ¡°Uhm¡­do I?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯re not feeling well?¡± ¡°Ah! I thought Luca already knew about it. I told the Duke about it.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know everything. On top of that, recently the duke has stopped talking about Leona in front of me.¡± Luca narrowed his forehead. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± He looked quite sullen. Is this what Rere meant by the forehead of truth? He knitted his eyebrows, looking at me seriously without a word. ¡°Luca also has the forehead of truth.¡± ¡°Leona¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Because I¡¯m healthier than ever now. And I purposely said that because I couldn¡¯t possibly tell him about Rere¡¯s illness.¡± ¡°¡­.But I¡¯m still worried. You¡¯re not feeling well, right? I heard something like that from the doctor.¡± ¡°¡­.Maybe a little?¡± Luca stared at me. ¡°I¡¯m¡­.I¡¯m so scared. Perhaps because of what I said, Leona has been pushing herself too hard lately. If anything goes wrong with you¡­.¡± Looking at him, I shook my head from side to side. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. Nothing will go wrong.¡± He heaved a sigh when I looked straight at him. ¡°Seriously. You¡¯re driving me crazy each time you look at me like that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you know how lovely you look right now? I want you to look at me with those brilliant eyes that seem to contain the vast ocean. You keep pulling me in deeper.¡± ¡°¡­Luca.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s how I feel. Leona doesn¡¯t like to hear things like this, right?¡± Luca scratched his head. I smiled at his cautious voice. ¡°It was a little corny, but it¡¯s not that bad because Luca said it.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah! Luca, I¡¯ve never been loved by anyone ever since I was born. Not even by my own family¡­¡± That was the case for me and Leona. Our lives were similar in many ways. ¡°Leona.¡± ¡°So if you love me, I¡¯d like it if you could tell me directly that you love me. I would never know unless you tell me, since I have never been loved before.¡± Luca¡¯s gaze toward me was sweeter than ever. ¡°I¡¯ll say I love you every single time.¡± Luca embraced me in his arms as he said that. His unexpected action made my heart jump out of my chest. I had never been held by a man. At the sound of his palpitating heart, my heart also began beating to match the same rate as his. ¡°How nice.¡± ¡°Leona¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to be like this with you.¡± I could smell Luca¡¯s scent. And perhaps because of my words, Luca patted my back affectionately. How I wish this moment would last longer. Would there be a day when the Duke disappears and Luca becomes Duke? Meanwhile, the carriage gradually stopped. ¡°Unfortunately, this is the end of our time alone.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to go with Luca if I visit the temple next time.¡± We smiled at each other. ¡°That sounds good. Then, shall we leave now?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Knowing that the door would open as soon as the carriage stopped, I scooted away from Luca. ¡°Madam, we have arrived. I will open the door now.¡± The coachman opened the door without delay. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°About that¡­.My little Miss is¡­¡± As soon as I heard about Rere, I quickly looked over the carriage door. Rere was already standing there with reddened eyes. So I jumped out of the carriage without any hesitation. ¡°Rere!¡± ¡°Huaaaaa! Big Bunny!¡± Rere ran to me as if she had been waiting for a long time and rubbed her head on my hem. ¡°Big Bunny! Big Bunny!¡± ¡°What happened to my Rere, hmm?¡± ¡°I! I! Again!¡± ¡°Again?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t play with Daddy ever again! We played hide-and-seek¡­but he hasn¡¯t come out yet!¡± Rere raised her head and made eye contact with me. ¡°Huh? He hasn¡¯t come out? Since Mom left earlier?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 84 Chapter 84 ¡°Hmmb! He hasn¡¯t come out yet!¡± Where the hell did you go? That lunatic! It probably took me an hour for a round-trip from here to the temple. ¡°¡­You can¡¯t find it even after you shout kwekkori?¡± (T/N: Kwekkori is a catchphrase or truce term in hide-and-seek to indicate the players who are hiding can come out into the open without losing the game) ¡°Ung! I did exactly what Big Bunny told me before! But he won¡¯t come out!¡± Rere put her hands on her waist and pouted angrily. ¡°Ha¡­Let¡¯s go find him.¡± ¡°No. As expected, Daddy is so booooring. I¡¯ll never play with Daddy again. Let¡¯s play something else instead!¡± ¡°But if Rere doesn¡¯t find him, Daddy may have shivered in the cold outside all night, you know?¡± Rere¡¯s face began to stiffen in anger. ¡°Uuuugh! Why do I have to suffer because of my idiot daddy?! He should¡¯ve come out when I said kwekkori, but he didn¡¯t come out at all!¡± At that time, the nanny rushed to me. ¡°Hosh, hosh- Have you returned, Madam?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve searched everywhere¡­but Master is nowhere to be found.¡± Luca, who stood behind me, heaved a deep sigh. ¡°It seems he took this opportunity to take a good rest.¡± ¡°Does Luca happen to know where he is?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one who knows him better than me.¡± He walked forward with a smile on his face. ¡°If Miss Rebecca helps me, I think we can find him immediately.¡± ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be helped if Luca says so.¡± Rere gradually released the tension on her face and immediately held Luca¡¯s hand. She began to hum a little, perhaps feeling proud that her help was needed. ¡°Gosh! Men in this house can¡¯t live without Rere at all!¡± ¡°Of course. I feel like I can find him as long as Miss Rebecca is here.¡± ¡°Gosh. Fine. Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°I have a feeling that he went this way, Miss. Do you think so, too?¡± Pretending to ask Rere¡¯s opinion, Luca slowly led the child to where he wanted to go. Just like that, time passed by quickly. Contrary to my expectation that he would be outside, he was sleeping on top of the rabbit doll in Rere¡¯s room. ¡°¡­¡­¡± All of us were stunned when we saw him like that. ¡°Wh, what¡¯s wrong with him?¡± He slept like a log and had completely forgotten that his child had been searching for him. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± As soon as Rere found the Duke, she quickly stormed into the room. She pulled the rabbit doll that supported the Duke¡¯s body with all her might. ¡°What are you doing here!¡± ¡°Uh, huh? You finally found me, Rere?¡± ¡°I told you we weren¡¯t going to hide in the mansion today!¡± ¡°Hoaam. Did you?¡± The Duke stretched out his arms as if he just had a good nap. ¡°Now that Rere has found Daddy, can Daddy be the seeker this time?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s over!¡± ¡°Huh? Really?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come out when I shouted kwekkori!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you.¡± Are you going to play with your child or are you going to sleep? He looked somewhat drowsy. How could one be this unattractive? The Duke became more and more like a child. At last, I glanced back at the angry child and approached him. ¡°Seriously¡­.didn¡¯t you say you were going to play hide-and-seek? Where in the world could you find someone who hides like this? If you do this, Rere will never play with you again. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this how you hide?¡± He blinked as if he was clueless about everything, so I just sighed looking at him blinking like a child. ¡°¡­.No.¡± ¡°I see. But Rere, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s fun to play with Daddy?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± ¡°Why? It was fun, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Not at all. I was running like crazy and drenched in sweat because of you!¡± Rere folded her arms angrily. Only then did the Duke look at us with a little regret. ¡°Did I do something wrong again?¡± ¡°Absolutely. You should give your all when you play with children.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°You should learn to cherish the time you spend with your child. Because time passes in a blink of an eye and the child will only cherish her own time at some point.¡± When that happens, you will not be able to play with her anymore. Children¡¯s time flies faster than their parents¡¯. He exhaled as if he was thinking deeply about what I said and nodded after a long time. ¡°You¡¯re right, I should¡¯ve focused on the present more. Next time, I promise I will play with you properly, Rere.¡± ¡°¡­.What¡¯s gotten into you all of sudden?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d be mad if I said this, but you were more compliant than I thought.¡± His eyes were fixed on me. ¡°Did I perhaps make you uncomfortable?¡± ¡°Yeah, very much.¡± ¡°I thought I was doing my best.¡± ¡°An act of kindness that does not consider the other party¡¯s opinion only makes the other person feel burdened. You and I have always done this to each other.¡± He seemed to be deep in thought. I didn¡¯t want to prolong this, so I held Rere in my arms. ¡°Rere. Let¡¯s wash now. Big Bunny went out today, so I want to wash.¡± ¡°Yup!¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave first. Please return to your room and rest. It¡¯s been a very busy day for us, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯d understand how tired we are right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And please stop ordering Luca around.¡± The Duke stood up as if he remembered something and glanced at Luca. ¡°Come to think of it, Luca. Where did you go today?¡± ¡°..Ah.¡± ¡°¡­I looked for you earlier, but you weren¡¯t around.¡± ¡°I went out with Ms. Leona.¡± ¡°W-What?! How dare you. I couldn¡¯t even accompany her.¡± ¡°Yes. I thought it would be more appropriate for the Duchess to be accompanied by a knight during the outing.¡± I expected the Duke to be mad, but surprisingly, he just nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s true. I don¡¯t want her to go all by herself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I went with her.¡± ¡°¡­.Well done.¡± Surprisingly, he agreed to Luca¡¯s reasoning so easily. From the look on Luca¡¯s face, it seemed to have happened frequently. If he gets more and more mature, will there be a day when he finally looks like a real duke? ¡°Big Bunny, aren¡¯t we going to wash up?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah. Let¡¯s hurry.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± After getting lost in thought, I quickly went to the bathroom to wash. *** A few more days had passed. The world was as calm as it was before a storm. Leona¡¯s family, who acted as if they wouldn¡¯t leave me alone, was quiet. Even the High Priest who said he¡¯d visit me soon didn¡¯t make an appearance. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you come?¡± ¡°Hmm? Is someone coming?¡± ¡°Ah, no.¡± It rained these past few days. Rere was upset because she couldn¡¯t play outside. ¡°Haa. Why does the sky look so sad today?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it says in the book that Mother used to read! It¡¯s raining because the sky is sad. That¡¯s why Rere also became sad.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± ¡°Yeah! I want to go out and play, but it¡¯s raining all day. I really can¡¯t wait to go out and run!¡± Rere lay down on the long desk and swung her legs back and forth. ¡°Ah, I want to play. Big Bunny. What should we play if it stops raining?¡± ¡°Hmm, maybe if there¡¯s some time left before I go to temple¡­.how about treasure hunting?¡± The word ¡®treasure¡¯ made her eyes sparkle. ¡°Treasure?! Wow! I know that! I¡¯ve seen it in the book. There¡¯s a great sea thief who is looking for treasure!¡± ¡°¡­T-Thief¡­.? Do you mean pirate?¡± ¡°Ah¡­but it¡¯s definitely a thief in that book!¡± Rere grinned widely. ¡°Anyway! Are we going to look for treasure?! Where is the treasure? Are we going to the sea, too?¡± ¡°No. The treasure is in the house!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.I mean, it¡¯s just a game, not a real treasure hunt¡­¡± Rere¡¯s face turned more sour than ever. ¡°Tch. That¡¯s no fun.¡± ¡°Oh no! It¡¯s going to be fun, Rere.¡± ¡°Does Big Bunny want Rere to do it?¡± ¡°Of course~¡± ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s a little annoying, but I¡¯ll have to do it for you. Big Bunny wants it so badly, after all.¡± Rere said, but she also seemed to be quite looking forward to it. ¡°I wish the rain would stop soon. Then I can play the treasure hunt that Big Bunny prepared so hard for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you seem to like it.¡± ¡°When did I say I like it? I just said I¡¯d do it for you.¡± ¡°Haha. Alright then.¡± I have to work hard so that Rere can enjoy it to the fullest. But then someone knocked on the door. Knock, knock. ¡°Come in.¡± But it wasn¡¯t the nanny or May who opened the door. It was the Duke¡¯s servant. ¡°Madam, you have a guest.¡± The servant bowed down to greet me. ¡°A guest? Who is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t tell you.¡± I have a guest but you can¡¯t even tell me the name, huh? ¡°If you can¡¯t tell me who it is, then I won¡¯t meet him.¡± ¡°Ah, but¡­.¡± In this situation, the only suspicious people that popped into my head were Leona¡¯s family. They must have been hiding their identity because they were kicked out last time. Having come into that conclusion, I became more sure. ¡°It¡¯s my family, right?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s a different guest.¡± I wasn¡¯t really pleased to hear that. I was so tired today. ¡°Tell him that I won¡¯t see him. I¡¯m very tired.¡± They were probably just a noble who came to visit the Duchess. ¡°But I think you should meet him.¡± ¡°Then tell me who he is.¡± ¡°It¡¯d be better if Madam met him first. In case you ask his identity, he wants me to tell you that he¡¯s a dog.¡± ¡°A dog? What do you mean¡­.? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s from the temple.¡± ¡°Ah, I will meet him!¡± It must be the high priest. He¡¯s finally here! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 85 Chapter 85 My heart¡¯s beating so fast. You finally visited! I¡¯ve been waiting for you to come since yesterday! I thought you wouldn¡¯t come at all! ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon!¡± ¡°Big Bunny. Who is it that makes you so excited?¡± Rere tilted her head as she watched me leap from my seat. ¡°Someone that might be able to help us?¡± ¡°Help us?¡± ¡°Yeah, Rere! Mom will be right back, so can you be a good girl and wait here calmly?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t even go out and play¡­.¡± Rere grumbled with a gloomier expression than ever today. ¡°Just leave. I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Rere..¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been trying to leave me all the time these days, so I don¡¯t care anymore! Just leave forever!¡± It didn¡¯t help that the child was already stressed enough because she couldn¡¯t play outside. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Hmmph?¡± ¡°My dear Rere?¡± ¡°Hmm. What is it?¡± ¡°Do you want to come with me?¡± ¡°No, Huh? Come with you? Really? Really?!¡± Rere¡¯s eyes instantly lit up like a firewood thrown in a furnace. ¡°Yes!¡± Only then did her face regain its light. ¡°Can I really go too? Hmm?¡± ¡°Although you can¡¯t go out, I think this much should be okay.¡± ¡°Yeaah! right! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not allowed to meet people, right? Awyeah! Let¡¯s go! The guest is waiting!¡± Rere jumped from her seat and extended her hand in a hurry. So I naturally held her hand. ¡°Lead the way.¡± As soon as we were ready, the servant did not hesitate to guide us. Not only Rere, but the nanny and the maids also quietly tagged along with us. I was going to go quietly, but it felt like I was on a huge trip. But Rere seemed to be in a better mood than ever. Rere, who seemed to be dispirited by the constant rain, even hummed a tune. *** A man in white priest¡¯s uniform sitting with his back against the door was being attended to by the servants. ¡°Sir, the Duchess is here.¡± He didn¡¯t even turn his head at the news. Rather, the knight who was busy looking around the surroundings slowly approached me. ¡°I¡¯ll have to check you for a while.¡± How absurd. Check me? In my own house?! So I stepped back before he could even come near me. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to check if there¡¯s something that may endanger the High Priest.¡± ¡°¡­.How absurd. If that¡¯s the case, then get out.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°How can a guest come and inspect me in my own house?¡± What nonsense. ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Rather, shouldn¡¯t I be the one to inspect you? Even so, I wouldn¡¯t be as rude as you guys.¡± The High Priest, who was looking over the window, slowly turned around. ¡°That¡¯s right. Didn¡¯t I tell you not to do that?¡± ¡°Your Holiness¡­.but according to the protocol¡­.¡± The bewildered knight alternated looking at me and the High Priest. ¡°Even if it¡¯s according to the protocol, you have to consider the situation. Moreover, didn¡¯t I particularly tell you not to do it when I go to see the Duchess?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I must see the Duchess no matter what today, and if we were kicked out because of you¡­.surely there¡¯ll be interesting rumors floating around.¡± The High Priest smiled candidly. ¡°Y-Your Holiness¡­.but it could still be dangerous¡­..¡± ¡°You won¡¯t budge no matter what I say, huh? If you want it so badly, go ahead and conduct the inspection. That way, all of us will be kicked out of here, and I will lose my only chance to talk to the Duchess. At last, there¡¯ll be some nasty rumors all over the Empire.¡± At his words, the knight sighed deeply and bowed his head. ¡°I understand. I apologize for crossing the line. I won¡¯t proceed with the inspection.¡± The knight mumbled quietly as if someone pushed him from behind. He then took a step back after finishing his apology. ¡°Well then, get out of here. The Duchess and I have something to talk about.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Lloyd. Will you only come to your senses after you see me getting kicked out of here?¡± Only then did the knight bow his head and left. ¡°Haa, he¡¯s quite frustrating, isn¡¯t he? Forget that, how have you been, Duchess?¡± ¡°As you can see.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that uncle?¡± ¡°Rere, he¡¯s the High Priest.¡± Rere looked at him with wide open eyes. ¡°Daddy said the High Priest was a swindler. I guess it¡¯s true then.¡± ¡°Um, huh?¡± ¡°You looked like a swindler just now.¡± Rere giggled and stared straight at the High Priest. A five-year-old said it with a poker face. ¡°Rere, you mustn¡¯t say something like that.¡± ¡°Ah! I see! Then I¡¯ll do it secretly next time. I will only whisper to Big Bunny¡¯s ears!¡± I was a little bewildered by Rere¡¯s absurd comment. ¡°Haha. You¡¯re such a cute child.¡± ¡°Do you mind if my child stays with me?¡± ¡°Of course. Ah, my guard was being a nuisance so I sent him out. He was too meticulous about everything, you see. I hope you don¡¯t think badly of him. There are not many people left in the temple who work so earnestly like him.¡± He looked out the window with a lonely gaze. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good man who does whatever I tell him to do. Anyway, I didn¡¯t intend to take up a lot of your time by coming here.¡± Without even thinking of sitting down, the High Priest bent down and made eye contact with Rere. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories about the Princess before.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not quite a pleasant one.¡± ¡°No way. It¡¯s about the birth story of the most precious and lovable princess in this Empire. Every child born in this Empire is blessed by the temple. But it was a little strange.¡± ¡°Strange?¡± ¡°She seemed a little bigger than kids her age. When the Princess was one year old, I visited the mansion to soothe her¡­. she looked quite different from kids her age.¡± At his sudden remark, I quickly hunkered down on the floor to hug Rere. ¡°What is that supposed to mean¡­.¡± ¡°But you look like a kid your age now.¡± ¡°¡­.Did I look bigger? Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure you did.¡± ¡°Wow. Do you know anything else about me? I don¡¯t know because Daddy didn¡¯t tell me anything, and there¡¯s no maid I could ask either.¡± Rere pouted with her tiny mouth and ran to the High Priest. ¡°Hmmm? What else?¡± ¡°Umm¡­.you were very adorable back then. That¡¯s what I remember. You were pretty talkative for a one-year-old.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Rere is smart. And Rere has always been adorable!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I will tell you if I remember anything else.¡± ¡°Okay! I disliked you at first because you made my mom angry, but now I like you a little!¡± Rere smiled broadly and ran back to my arms. No wonder Rere seemed hostile to him, turned out it was because of me. ¡°But contrary to your sweet words, didn¡¯t the temple try to dig into Rere¡¯s birth for the purpose of uncovering the truth?¡± ¡°¡­.I can¡¯t deny that people in the temple have been trying to dig into the Duchy in order to keep the Duke in check. This has been going on for a long time.¡± The High Priest heaved a deep sigh as if he had given up everything. ¡°There are things that can¡¯t be fixed no matter how hard I try. Just because I¡¯m the High Priest doesn¡¯t mean I have complete control over everything.¡± The man couldn¡¯t hide the loneliness in his eyes and tried to change the mood. ¡°But other than seeing your face, I came here today to give the Duchess permission about your request last time. After all, I personally wrote some of these records, so it¡¯s not like I can trust others.¡± He held out a small medal from his arms. ¡°This necklace bears the name of the High Priest that grants you permission for everything in the temple.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just call me to give me this?¡± ¡°Because a lot of people want to see me.¡± In other words, it was troublesome for you. ¡°People seem to be bothering you a lot.¡± ¡°Although it was the high priest¡¯s duty to serve people, it saddened me how people in this world like to step over the lines. I used to give my best shot to everything, but now I just want to let everything go.¡± The loneliness emerged on his face again, and he walked closer to stroke Rere¡¯s head. ¡°But I can¡¯t do that as I still have some greed left, you see. Anyway, I¡¯m glad I came here. Because there won¡¯t be any problem even if you use it in public.¡± I fiddled with the medal he gave me for a long time. ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier than I thought. I expected that I¡¯d have to go through a complicated process first. Perhaps, if you need money¡­.¡± ¡°No need for that. I just wish to see the Duchess and the lovely little Princess often in the temple.¡± ¡°Hmph. I¡¯ll try to persuade my daddy to do that. I can¡¯t help it that I¡¯m so popular~¡± Rere quickly took the medal from my hand excitedly. ¡°This medal looks so expensive!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to you next time, Princess.¡± Unconditional kindness. I felt uncomfortable seeing the High Priest being exceptionally nice to us. Nevertheless, it was more important for me to accept his kindness. ¡°Thank you. Then I will see you soon.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± ¡°Thank you again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± The High Priest smiled and looked me in the eyes for a long time. ¡°Instead, if you feel grateful to me, would you do me a favor later?¡± ¡°A favor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a difficult favor.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 86 Chapter 86 What could be more troublesome than this? ¡°What exactly do you need from me?¡± ¡°Rest assured. I¡¯m just checking something.¡± ¡°Checking?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll tell you the details later.¡± ¡°¡­First you gave me the medal, and then you asked for a favor¡­.is there anything more troublesome than this?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do it if you don¡¯t want to. The reason I gave it¡­..¡± He looked alternately between me and Rere as if feeling sorry for us. For a moment, I wondered if he caught my lies or if he noticed that Rere was sick, but it was actually the opposite. ¡°About what you said back then¡­..I pray for the Duchess to remain in good health. I just want the peace in this family to stay as it is now.¡± He was actually worried about me. He was afraid that Rere would lose the mother figure that she admired. ¡°If you feel burdened with my kindness, you can think of it this way.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I have lived my life in the temple for a long time, yet you were the first to give me coins. It¡¯s my reward for those who give unconditional kindness to others.¡± Looking at him trying to convince me in case I was still burdened by his kindness, I felt there was nothing else I could say. ¡°I see. Thank you. I¡¯ll do my best to help you.¡± He smiled, and then stood. ¡°I have to take my leave now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to stay long. Then, I hope to see you again soon, Princess.¡± ¡°Yup!¡± As if his original purpose had been fulfilled, he walked out without hesitation. ¡°Rere, shall we see him off until the entrance?¡± ¡°Okay! Sounds good!¡± Rere shouted with twinkling eyes and stretched out her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Are you going to see me out?¡± He was about to open the door, but he couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. ¡°You even gave me this medal, so this much is nothing.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you very much.¡± When Rere lifted the medal slightly, the High Priest smiled satisfactorily. I went ahead and opened the door for him. The guard waiting outside approached him with a look of great surprise. ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°I¡¯m done with my business.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d stay longer.¡± ¡°Hoho. No way. Rather, I have to go to another duchy.¡± ¡°Are you worried that rumors will spread if you only visited here?¡± The guard looked at us following them with a troubled expression. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you care so much about them.¡± ¡°I really need the Duchess. And if you don¡¯t like everything I do, I¡¯ll use another guard next time¡­¡± Only then did the knight shake his head in a hurry. ¡°You mustn¡¯t do that. There¡¯s no one you can trust in the temple.¡± ¡°Hoho. I think it¡¯s better to have unreliable people than getting bothered by you.¡± ¡°¡­.Your Holiness.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t bother me too much. This old man will die faster listening to your nagging all the time.¡± The knight, Lloyd, finally sighed and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Hoho. You know I like you so much, right? To the point I want you to stay by my side until I die. So I want you to go easy on me a little bit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful in the future.¡± ¡°Still, don¡¯t be too stiff, either. That¡¯s boring.¡± His face stiffened, probably wondering which rhythm he was supposed to follow. Observing them from behind, they seemed to have an interesting relationship. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± After bickering for a while, they moved as if they had made up their mind. The servant walked ahead to guide us, followed by the priest and his guard in the middle and us in the back. We didn¡¯t interact much after we came outside. I could feel the clear boundaries as if he purposely tried to distance himself from us. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯s doing this on purpose.¡¯ As I was busy looking at the High Priest¡¯s back, Rere, who had been fiddling with the medal, held it out to me. ¡°But Big Bunny, this thing looks really pretty. What if he gave this to us by mistake?¡± Rere whispered, perhaps worried that the High Priest might hear it. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°But we should hide it just in case. Get your head down a little, Big Bunny.¡± When I lowered my head, Rere hung the medal necklace around my neck. ¡°Rere?¡± ¡°You look like a person who won an award at a big competition!¡± When I first received the medal, I thought to myself that the size was quite considerable. Rather, anyone would think it was unusual if I wore it around my neck like this. Rere narrowed her eyes, perhaps thinking the same thing as me. ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t think this looks good.¡± ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t Rere keep it instead and give it to Mom later?¡± ¡°Good idea!¡± Rere clapped her hands in delight and removed the necklace hanging on my neck. ¡°Will you take care of it, Rere?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± Meanwhile, we arrived at the main gate of the Duke¡¯s castle. Only then did the High Priest turn to us. ¡°Then I will take my leave. I¡¯ll see you at the temple next time.¡± ¡°Thank you for today, Your Holiness.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you later, Princess.¡± ¡°Yeah! Bye!¡± After the brief farewell, the High Priest climbed into the carriage with his guard. As if he had something urgent to do, the coachman quickly set off as soon as he got into the carriage. And that¡¯s how they finally moved away. After we watched them for a long time, we were about to return to the castle, but then. ¡°Oh my goodness! Leona! You¡¯ve finally come out!¡± Someone ran toward us in a hurry. It was my mother. To be exact, Leona¡¯s mother. ¡°¡­.I¡¯m sure I told you not to come again.¡± ¡°How can you say that? I know very well that you don¡¯t mean anything you said to us.¡± ¡°Who said I don¡¯t mean it? You should return before you create more trouble here.¡± It angered me that Rere had to witness the ugliness of my family. ¡°Oh my. Aren¡¯t you the princess?¡± But there¡¯s no way that Rere reacted to her advances kindly. She smacked Mrs. Selen¡¯s hands that were about to reach her. ¡°How dare you touch me!¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± ¡°Haha¡­this child is very bold, I see.¡± ¡°She simply speaks my mind. Leave. Don¡¯t come here ever again. Next time I will ask the knights to kick you out as soon as they see you.¡± ¡°W-Wait! Please listen to me. Your father has been ill since that day. At this rate, he will fall into depression because the debtor comes to our house every day.¡± But her words didn¡¯t affect me at all. ¡°So what? Why do I need to be involved in something that you brought upon yourself? Instead of me, why don¡¯t you make your perfectly healthy and capable daughter work?¡± ¡°Are you asking my precious Jane to do your chores?!¡± ¡°¡­.Precious, huh? I guess there must be a precious and not precious daughter in your eyes.¡± ¡°Anyway¡­yeah. That¡¯s right. You¡¯re right.¡± Leona¡¯s mother stared at me with tears in her eyes and nodded eagerly as if she had finally made up her mind. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to find her a job.¡± ¡°Good for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came here. How come a duchess doesn¡¯t have a maid? Normally, the wives of a noble family take a maid to be their helper. But no maid could be more perfect than Jane! Can you use your power to make it happen? Please?¡± ¡°Ah, so you ask me to hire her as my companion and pay her a hefty sum of money?¡± She nodded urgently. ¡°Do you really take me for a fool? I¡¯m sure she will act like a Madam once she comes in.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen at all. Your sister is reflecting on herself, too.¡± I briefly thought about bringing Leona¡¯s sister in and torturing her as much as Leona had suffered. But it was a bad idea, because I would only end up feeling frustrated by her behavior. ¡°Don¡¯t even dream. Even if she has reflected, I don¡¯t feel like doing that at all. So just leave. I will not grant you any chance to talk with me from now on.¡± ¡°¡­Do you think you¡¯ll be happy leaving your family like this?¡± ¡°Yes. Very much. I¡¯m very, very happy. Now and in the future. So just leave.¡± I turned around, but Leona¡¯s mother moved fast to grab Rere¡¯s hand. ¡°Princess! Please persuade my daughter¡­.!¡± But before she could even grab her, Rere screamed. ¡°Get out of here! Why are you bothering my mom?! What are you doing, knights! You have to get rid of this beggar fast!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. We will remove her right away.¡± Rere was still fuming as she looked at Leona¡¯s mother. ¡°Haa¡­how on earth¡­..how can you do that to me? You¡¯re my daughter¡¯s child! That means I¡¯m your grandmother. Grandmother!!¡± ¡°Stop saying nonsense! If I hear you one more time, I won¡¯t let you slide!¡± Only then did the knights move in a hurry to drag Leona¡¯s mother away. ¡°You¡¯ll regret it! You wench! I¡¯m the one who raised you!¡± I didn¡¯t want Rere to hear bad things, so I smiled brightly and took her inside. ¡°What should we play today? It¡¯s raining, though.¡± ¡°Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re having a hard time, you can just let it out.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 87 Chapter 87 ¡°Luca said so. Adults can be sick, too. There are days when things get hard and you want to cry.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°Nothing wrong with that, but it¡¯s wrong to hide your feelings and suffer alone.¡± Rere sat still on my arms, pouting. ¡°Rere¡­.¡± ¡°I confess all my feelings to Big Bunny, but why does Big Bunny suffer alone? Is it because I¡¯m young¡­.that you can¡¯t tell me¡­.?¡± I brought my forehead closer to the child who looked sadder than usual. Her warmth transmitted to my skin. ¡°No, Rere. It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m just¡­embarrassed.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°The fact that those ugly people are my family¡­..I mean, Rere doesn¡¯t have to be bothered by them.¡± ¡°So what if they¡¯re your family! My daddy is not that great either. And of course I was bothered! You¡¯re my mom! My mom!¡± A deep crease appeared on her forehead. She looked so grumpy and continued making her moue. ¡°Does it really bother you that much¡­..?¡± ¡°Yeah. They are very bad people. I saw my Big Bunny¡¯s eyes shaking. You looked¡­..very angry and your cheeks were puffy.¡± Rere looked back at the door angrier than ever. ¡°R, Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s why Rere¡¯s heart aches. Maybe I can feel Big Bunny¡¯s heart.¡± Rere, who was in my arms, rubbed her cheeks against mine. ¡°Because Rere stays next to me, I feel like I can go through everything no matter how hard or unfair it is.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why Rere¡­..will stay with Mom for a long time, right?¡± ¡°Yeaah! Don¡¯t worry!¡± I had all kinds of thoughts every time Leona¡¯s family came to visit. How to knock some sense into them? ¡°But I won¡¯t forgive them. Damn¡­.I won¡¯t let them hurt my Big Bunny ever again.¡± The child leaned her head over my shoulder. ¡°Next time they come, I¡¯ll really give them a hard time.¡± ¡°¡­.Thank you, Rere.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. We¡¯re family, so it¡¯s normal to do this. I don¡¯t want Big Bunny to suffer anymore. I will protect you, because we¡¯re family!¡± Rere raised her head and wrapped her arm around my shoulder. ¡°Because we¡¯re family!¡± ¡°Yeah! Because we¡¯re family!¡± I felt alive because of Rere. I was saved because I met Rere. She made my life worth living. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now.¡± If I looked a little down, Rere would smile brighter. I thought I was trying to change Rere, but it was actually the opposite. ¡°You know, Big Bunny, I¡¯m really in a good mood today. I got to hear about my childhood which I¡¯ve never heard before!¡± I had forgotten for a while about what the High Priest had said before. He said Rere was bigger than kids her age. It bothered me for some reason. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I hope he can talk about my childhood again next time. It¡¯s a shame that nobody else knows about it, though.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s put this medal in your pretty rabbit pocket when we arrive at our room. I will never lose it.¡± Rere chuckled, rocking her feet back and forth as if excited. The child was still holding a medal in her hand. ¡°As expected, I can only count on you. By the way, you did a great job today.¡± ¡°Yup! Rere is very smart. Rere won¡¯t do anything to embarrass Mom!¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Umm, I lost my temper in the Imperial Palace¡­.but it¡¯s because I was so sick of that place! Ugh! I don¡¯t want to go there again.¡± Rere shuddered, expressing her heart truthfully. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her cute behavior. ¡°Right. I was sick of that place, too.¡± ¡°Right?!¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Rere, I would have already dozed off there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! No wonder Rere feels so itchy. I must have sensed that Big Bunny was sick of that place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That must be the case.¡± Rere raised her head and made eye contact with me for a long time. ¡°That¡¯s why, Rere knows what Big Bunny wants to do now!¡± ¡°What do I want to do?¡± ¡°Go to my room and lie down with Rere!¡± ¡°Oh my god! How did you know?!¡± When I reacted excitedly, Rere shook her shoulders as if very happy. ¡°It¡¯s not like we know each other for a day or two. Then, let¡¯s go. I wonder in which rabbit pocket should I put the medal so my Big Bunny won¡¯t lose it?¡± The child, who didn¡¯t stop chattering until we arrived at the room, was busy rummaging through the pile of rabbit dolls for a long time. The nanny and maids offered to help, but Rere was stubborn. ¡°I¡¯ll find it. I¡¯m going to find it and give it to Big Bunny as a gift. So don¡¯t bother me!¡± ¡°But it must be tough¡­ there are so many rabbit dolls¡­.if you tell me what you¡¯re looking for¡­¡± Even when the nanny offered to help, Rere looked askance at the nanny as if she would never yield. In the end, no one could stop her even when she sweated a lot. ¡°I found it! This would be perfect!¡± After quite a long time, what Rere pulled out was a cute pocket with a rabbit face attached on it. But Rere didn¡¯t give it right away. She went to a table full of books and began to write something down on paper. ¡°Rere, what are you doing?¡± ¡°D, Don¡¯t come closer! B, Big Bunny and the others should clean up the bunnies first!¡± Rere was throwing a fit and turned away so that no one could see the paper. At first, we were puzzled by Rere¡¯s behavior, but then we chuckled together and began to clean the rabbit dolls. How long had it been? After a long time, Rere finally came to me. ¡°Big Bunny, take this.¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°Yes! I put the medal in there!¡± So I was going to open the pocket. ¡°No! Don¡¯t open it now! Open it later. Later!¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°Just because! Aaaah! I¡¯m hungry because I moved a lot today. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± As if trying to change the subject, Rere awkwardly gestured to the nanny. ¡°Hurry up and get the food. I want to eat with Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°By the way.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°When do the nanny and other maids eat?¡± ¡°We take turns eating. Are you worried about us?¡± The nanny covered her mouth as if she was touched. But Rere began to pout annoyedly again. ¡°W, Who¡¯s worried about you? I¡¯m just¡­¡­.I don¡¯t want you to collapse when you are taking care of me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad that Miss Rebecca is concerned about us. Everyone is eating well and doing well. In fact, we¡¯ve gained weight recently. It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± Looking at the smiling nanny, Rere huffed and turned around. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a relief. You should eat well from now on. Everyone and Big Bunny, too! I¡¯m worried because Big Bunny looks so dry all the time.¡± ¡°I eat better than anyone else.¡± ¡°I know! You definitely eat well. So it¡¯s strange.¡± I hung the rabbit doll given by Rere on my waist and squatted on the floor to make eye contact with Rere. ¡°What¡¯s strange?¡± ¡°¡­.I wonder if it¡¯s because of me?¡± ¡°No. It can¡¯t be because of Rere. I guess I just need to eat well!¡± ¡°Good idea. You need to get a little chubbier, or else you will collapse first.¡± As soon as the food entered the room, Rere was busy putting meat on my plate. ¡°Rere. Aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been eating well! Now that I look at you, I feel like Big Bunny is also a picky eater. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t like carrots, but you have to eat other food plentily. If you eat well, you don¡¯t have to worry about eating carrots. So you have to eat well, okay?¡± Repeating exactly what I said to her before, Rere pushed a large cut of meat into my mouth. ¡°Say ah!¡± ¡°Ah~¡± ¡°Chew slowly, okay? You might get an upset stomach if you eat in a hurry.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sick, you will have to take medicine. Rere is already an adult who is very good at taking medicine, and doctor¡¯s medicine tastes so bad, you know.¡± Rere poked the food using her fork as she grumbled. ¡°Is that for Mom?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Rere must eat, too.¡± ¡°Rere will eat when Big Bunny is full! Hmph¡­Rere is so busy. But I can¡¯t help it, right? My Big Bunny cannot eat well without me.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°So stay next to Rere. Rere will take good care of you.¡± How can you be this lovely? I nodded amusedly as I watched Rere pout with her little mouth. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll be together for a long time. Until Rere gets tired of me.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± After that, Rere took care of my meal for a long time. *** That night. It was especially thundery today. Rere, who had been playing the whole day, held Ugly in her arms as the sky became dark and the rain began pouring. All the windows and curtains were closed, but the thunderous sound still could be heard. ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scared! It¡¯s just¡­too loud,¡± So I patted Rere¡¯s back and covered her with a blanket. ¡°You know what, Rere? Mom really likes rainy days.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°But I couldn¡¯t tell people. When I said I like rain, they said I was crazy.¡± ¡°Why? Why do people say you¡¯re crazy?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying that people who go out and play on rainy days are crazy.¡± Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Of course, there was a different reason as to why I liked the rain. ¡°Does that mean Big Bunny is crazy?¡± Rere stared at me innocently. She looked like a rabbit popping out of a rabbit hole when her head was sticking out of the blanket. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m crazy about Rere!¡± ¡°Tch. What are you talking about?¡± Only then did a smile spread on the child¡¯s face. ¡°But the thunder¡­it¡¯s a little scary.¡± Rere grabbed my arm firmly. So I gently soothed the anxious child. ¡°They said thunder is a warning from God.¡± ¡°A warning from God?¡± ¡°Yes. Because people do so many bad things, God warns them to stop being mean.¡± The little girl nodded her head up and down. ¡°Yes, there are many bad people. Poopie head and Big Bunny¡¯s mom are mean!¡± ¡°Right. That¡¯s why it is a warning to stop doing bad things. Just like how we scream when we¡¯re angry.¡± Rere¡¯s eyes sparkled as she listened to me. ¡°Does that mean God screams, ¡®You punk!¡¯ from the sky?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Woah¡­it¡¯s a little less scary after hearing that.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Rere regained her cheerfulness and leaned close to my side. ¡°But I can¡¯t sleep well when there¡¯s rain and thunder, so will you pat my back?¡± ¡°Okay. I will pat your back until Rere falls asleep.¡± Perhaps my answer comforted her, she slowly overcame her fear and closed her eyes. The rain didn¡¯t stop pouring for days. However, the warmth from the fire pit and the rain sound created a cozy atmosphere. Thanks to this, Rere calmed down and slowly fell asleep. So I stood and looked out the window after making sure the child was asleep. ¡°Rain¡­.¡± In the past, I had really liked when it rained. Since there were no guests coming to the orphanage. I didn¡¯t know about other places, but this was how it was in our orphanage. The other children and I had a hard time because of guests who came under the pretext of giving donations or caring for us. I had to greet them in clothes that looked so shabby. Because we had to look pitiful so people would feel sorry for us. ¡®That way, the orphanage will receive more donations.¡¯ In particular, our favorite toys were taken away from us when the guests came. Even the head of the orphanage told us to pluck out grass or play outside until we looked dirty and shabby. What a greedy human. The children became more and more tolerant of the abuse because they knew they would be hit shortly after the guests left. But on rainy days, no guests were coming. That¡¯s why I really liked the rain. I also liked the fresh air after rain. I used to get scolded by the head of the orphanage because the laundry didn¡¯t dry well during rainy days, but I still liked the rain. ¡°Even now¡­.the rain is so nice.¡± It felt like my chaotic mind was being washed away in the rain. So I looked out the window. And my eyes focused on the terrace for a long time. What if Luca comes? What if he waits for me somewhere? So I waited for a long time and fell asleep, feeling a bit regretful that he might have come if it hadn¡¯t rained. *** The next day. The rain poured down all night long and only stopped when the morning came. The world felt so refreshing today. The sky was clear after a few days of intermittent rain. ¡°Good morning, Madam. The air is fresh today, but the ground is still wet.¡± ¡°Too bad. I¡¯ll have to wait until the ground dries so I can play with Rere.¡± ¡°Yes. You have to play in the room a little bit longer.¡± The nanny turned her gaze to Rere. The child was lying in the middle of a large bed. ¡°In the past, she couldn¡¯t sleep well when it rained.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m also not sure why. We were also trying to figure out the cause.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you here ever since Rere was young?¡± ¡°Yes, but not from when she was very young.¡± ¡°Is there no one else who worked here for a long time?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ve all been forced to retire. I¡¯ve heard that the butler who served the duchy for generations was kicked out.¡± It was such a strange circumstance. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯re curious about?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you happen to know any of them?¡± ¡°I know the butler, but he won¡¯t tell me much about himself. He¡¯s quite a reserved person. I¡¯ve asked him a few times, but he didn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± ¡°Still, can you please help me out? I¡¯d like to meet him when I go out.¡± The nanny hesitated for a while, then she approached the table and wrote down an address. ¡°There you go. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be mad if he finds out that I gave you his address¡­¡± ¡°Thank you. Oh, it¡¯s not too far from here.¡± ¡°Others were given big pensions and moved far away from here. Same goes for that old butler, but since he wanted to see our young miss grow up, he decided to settle down there. Of course, without my master¡¯s knowledge.¡± The nanny whispered in my ear just in case anyone heard it. Moreover, the address she wrote was very close to the temple. I could immediately reach the temple if I went down the mountain where the duchy was located. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯d like to visit him on my way to the temple.¡± ¡°Yes. I hope you¡¯ll get the answers you want.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do anything for my Rere¡­.¡± I felt like I could unravel something by meeting that old butler. So I climbed back into the bed where Rere was sleeping and stroked the child¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that you don¡¯t get sick anymore.¡± At that time, Rere¡¯s little hand clasped my hand as she was sleeping. She didn¡¯t talk in her sleep or anything, but her hand felt so warm that I was determined to protect her at any cost. Then Rere woke up at eleven o¡¯clock. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Normally, children would whine as soon as they wake up, but meals came first for Rere. These days she was especially strict about meals. As soon as she woke up, Rere took a quick bath and grabbed my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go eat.¡± ¡°I have to go somewhere. So I need to be fast.¡± ¡°Mom, where are you going?¡± On the way to the restaurant, I patted the pocket that Rere gave me. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m going to visit the temple. Is it okay for me to go?¡± Rere¡¯s permission was more important than the Duke¡¯s. ¡°Umm¡­um..do you have to go?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I had to go if I wanted to save Rere¡¯s future. There was nothing better to do than investigate her illness. ¡°Rere, my dear. This is something that I must do. I¡¯m sorry, but can¡¯t you please understand for once?¡± ¡°¡­Is it because of Rere?¡± Telling the child that I was leaving for her sake was a bad idea. Those words would only burden her, so I gazed straight at the child. ¡°No. It¡¯s not because of Rere. It¡¯s for myself. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking Rere¡¯s permission first. Didn¡¯t I promise that I won¡¯t leave you alone?¡± ¡°Yeah, you did!¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t keep that promise today.¡± ¡°So you will leave the decision to Rere?¡± The child¡¯s eyes were twinkling with excitement. A smile spread on her face as if she was happy just because she had the right to decide. ¡°I want to say that you can¡¯t go, but I¡¯m not worried anymore because I know Big Bunny won¡¯t throw me away! I will let you go because I know you will return! Rere is so nice, right?¡± ¡°Thank you, Rere. I think I¡¯ll be able to return safely thanks to Rere.¡± ¡°Instead, don¡¯t follow a stranger just because you went out alone.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t run and jump around when you¡¯re excited because you¡¯ll fall down. Okay?¡± Rere folded her fingers one by one and spoke seriously about the precautions. ¡°You can¡¯t just buy whatever the merchants try to sell you, okay?¡± ¡°Uh, okay.¡± ¡°Why is your reaction so flat!¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m listening seriously!¡± I was thinking of buying a lot of things for treasure hunting with Rere, though. She probably liked it if I bought her a lot of things. So I giggled at the grumpy child who looked so adorable. ¡°Hmm, what else-¡± ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Where did you learn to say all that?¡± ¡°From the book! I read that¡¯s what mothers say before their child plays outside.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m an adult, right?¡± ¡°Geez, Big Bunny¡­it¡¯s true that you¡¯re an adult¡­but¡­.I¡¯m worried, you know? *You¡¯re just like a child on the slide!¡± (*T/N : It¡¯s an idiom when you¡¯re constantly worried about someone or situation.) ¡°Did you learn that from the book, too?¡± ¡°Yup! Rere remembers it because those are the words Rere has been wanting to say to Big Bunny!¡± Rere raised her chin proudly with a wide grin on her face. ¡°You¡¯re so amazing, Rere! I think you¡¯re smarter than Big Bunny!¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not smarter than Big Bunny¡­but I¡¯m smarter than Daddy! Daddy is stupid.¡± Rere couldn¡¯t stop giggling as she swung her arms back and forth more excitedly than ever. *** The mealtime was quiet. If there was anything different from before, Rere was busy putting a lot of food in front of me. After feeding food to each other, I began to open my mouth. ¡°I will visit the temple.¡± The Duke¡¯s eyes grew sharp at my announcement. Chapter 89 ¡°You really like temples, don¡¯t you? Even the High Priest came to our mansion.¡± ¡°Well, rather than liking it, it¡¯d be better to say that I need it. Can¡¯t I do that?¡± ¡°¡­You acted like you were always there for Rere.¡± I was doing this for Rere, though? The Duke looked so upset as if I was leaving them for good. ¡°Do you realize that you act like a kid sometimes?¡± ¡°Do I?¡± ¡°Yes. Very much so.¡± ¡°No way.¡± he scoffed as if it was ridiculous. ¡°Big Bunny¡¯s right! Daddy has been acting like a kid. I¡¯d believe it if you said you¡¯re my brother.¡± The Duke looked shocked by her words. ¡°Rere. Daddy isn¡¯t like that at all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± Rere gulped down the meat she had chewed and shook her fork from side to side. ¡°You¡¯re totally a kid.¡± ¡°¡­No. That can¡¯t be true.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you let Mom go?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not letting her go, but I¡¯m just worried about her¡­.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m letting her go, though? So if Daddy doesn¡¯t let her go, that means you¡¯re more childish than me. Isn¡¯t that right, Big Bunny?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I can¡¯t imagine how hard it is for Rere to raise a daddy who¡¯s like a baby.¡± ¡°Sigh. I¡¯ve been through a hard time. I think it¡¯s better to raise a real child.¡± Rere brushed her forehead, pretending to wipe her sweat. The Duke¡¯s face turned quite sour in response to her gesture. He placed his cutlery on the table as if he had lost his appetite. ¡°¡­Go and return safely.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not a child. So you can go wherever you want. I won¡¯t stop you anymore.¡± After saying that, the Duke shrugged his shoulders lightly and made eye contact with Rere as if asking for a compliment. I did well, right? I¡¯m nothing like a kid, right? ¡°Thank you.¡± Even when I answered, he did not take his gaze off Rere. The same went for Rere, of course. The child did not take her eyes off me as if asking for a compliment. She didn¡¯t even spare a glance at her daddy at all. ¡°Rere. Don¡¯t you have anything to say to your daddy?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°But¡­Daddy doesn¡¯t act like a kid anymore, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just one time. You have to do better next time if you don¡¯t want us to call you a kid. Ahhh~ I¡¯m full.¡± Rere leaned back in the chair after finishing her meal and said. ¡°Did you change the chef? I don¡¯t know why everything is so delicious these days.¡± ¡°Hmm? Do you think so?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t change the chef.¡± He chimed in. ¡°¡­.Ah. Is that so?¡± This bastard. I really want to muzzle his mouth. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t hurt to lie a bit, but the Duke butted in as if he couldn¡¯t wait to say it. Did he want to boast about how upright he was? He acted as if he could never lie for life. ¡°Then the chef must¡¯ve improved a lot!¡± ¡°But the taste is-¡± ¡°He said he put a lot of effort these days. I¡¯m sure Rere will grow really well because of that! Since the food is really delicious, you see.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it! As expected, Big Bunny is so smart! I don¡¯t know that the chef is working this hard. I should at least give him a compliment!¡± In the meantime, the nanny approached us and put the squishy lemon sherbet down the table. ¡°I¡¯m sure the chef will be very happy. I will convey your message to him instead.¡± ¡°Yup. Please tell him to continue working as hard as now.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something he needs to fix. How can he serve a dessert on such a small plate? It¡¯d be finished in one bite! One bite, you know! Tell him to serve on a huge plate next time.¡± ¡°Alright, miss.¡± I thought she was just exaggerating like usual, but Rere really finished the sherbet in one bite. After that, she looked at me for a while before jumping down from her seat. ¡°I¡¯m done eating. Did you finish your meal, Big Bunny?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then you should go now.¡± ¡°Are you sending me off already?¡± ¡°Yeah! So that you can return quickly.¡± Hearing the child urge me to return quickly, I got up from my seat. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll leave in a minute. I just need to wear my coat.¡± ¡°Okay! Daddy! Tell them to prepare the carriage.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± The Duke had been watching us with a sour expression and nodded his head as if nothing had happened. ¡°Rere, I¡¯ll be right back, okay?¡± ¡°Yeah! Hurry up and go!¡± The child looked brighter than ever. I stopped by my room to put on my coat and went outside where the carriage was already waiting for me. ¡°Come on! Come on!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Last time, Rere wanted to go with me, but now she waved her hand without any strain. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Rere is brave, you know!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­okay.¡± ¡°Geez. You seem to be worried too much. No need to worry! I have my daddy, my nanny and the maids with me.¡± ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll really go now.¡± After I got Rere¡¯s approval for the last time, I finally got into the carriage. Then I opened the carriage window and stuck out my head. ¡°I¡¯ll be back!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Rere waved her hand weakly as if she was quite annoyed with me. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± The coachman snapped his whip and slowly drove off. ¡°Sigh.¡± ¡°Looks like Leona is more anxious than our little miss.¡± Luca was already seated inside the carriage and naturally changed his seat next to me when the carriage set off. ¡°The more I love her, the more I care about her.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°It feels really strange. I miss her the more I see her.¡± As I was looking down at the floor, Luca¡¯s face came into my sight. ¡°Don¡¯t you miss me, too?¡± ¡°Of course¡­. I miss Luca, too.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not worried about me, right? So you don¡¯t need to worry too much about her. She¡¯s stronger than I ever was. Maybe she¡¯s stronger than Leona, too. So stop worrying, okay?¡± I felt somewhat relieved by his words. Everything he said was right. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m worried too much because she¡¯s only a child in my eyes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re with me today, so please pay attention to me. I want a little bit of Leona¡¯s attention, too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just like an obedient puppy, you know?¡± It won¡¯t be weird if he was offended by it, but I just felt like saying it. ¡°Puppy? A puppy that only looks at Leona doesn¡¯t sound bad at all. Then please pay attention to me, master.¡± ¡°Haha. alright.¡± Luca¡¯s eyes followed me as I raised my head. ¡°That aside, I am here with Luca again today.¡± ¡°His Grace doesn¡¯t know about this.¡± ¡°Will you be fine, though?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, the Duke doesn¡¯t seem to talk with you a lot.¡± Luca stroked his chin at my remark. ¡°I think so, too.¡± ¡°Why is he so lenient with you?¡± But there was no answer this time. Instead, he moved away a little and took something from his sleeve. ¡°I have a present for you.¡± It was a small bottle. Before I could even ask about it, he already handed me a bottle that seemed to contain medicine in it. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve been sleeping well these days. I heard this medicine is good for relaxation. I thought you might need it.¡± ¡°Luca, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Did you come to see me at night?¡± A small smile spread on Luca¡¯s face. ¡°So it¡¯s true you came.¡± ¡°I thought you would be worried if you saw that I was there. Since I got rained on.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I exist but don¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°Are you saying you have no physical form?¡± His lips slowly arched as if confirming my words. ¡°¡­.No way.¡± Something came to my mind as I watched him keeping his mouth shut at my question. ¡®Maybe¡­he¡¯s the Duke? I¡¯d really hate it if that¡¯s true¡­so it should be fine if I don¡¯t want to talk about it, right?¡¯ ¡°Leona, actually I¡¯m¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anything. I¡¯m not curious about your identity.¡± ¡°Haha, how relieving. Thank you.¡± He laughed at the fact I didn¡¯t even want to ask. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you anything. So just stay right by my side, okay?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll stay by your side until you get sick of me.¡± I felt like my heart melted at the sight of his gentle and sweet smile. He then opened my rabbit pouch and put the medicine bottle inside it. Only then I noticed the letter that Rere had folded neatly for me. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I forgot that Rere wrote me a letter.¡± ¡°A letter?¡± I opened the letter and showed it to Luca, who seemed curious. [This bag belongs to my mom. Ah, my mom is Duchess Petri. So I won¡¯t let you go if you steal it! I will pour poop water on you! If you picked it up somewhere, give it back to my mom. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll put a curse on you!] It was a smudged and cramped letter jumbled together in a disorderly fashion. I thought she wrote it for me, but it was actually the opposite. ¡°Oh gosh¡­how cute.¡± ¡°Is this a letter from the little miss?¡± ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t she cute?¡± ¡°Yes. She¡¯s very cute.¡± So I handed over the letter I was holding. A smile slowly rose on his face as he read the content. ¡°I feel like my little miss is getting better and better with Leona around. She couldn¡¯t write this well before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little too fast for a five-year-old child.¡± At that moment, I remembered the day when I met the High Priest. ¡°By the way, Luca. I heard something weird a few days ago.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Does Luca¡­know anything about Rere¡¯s early childhood?¡± Luca, who always responded to everything I said, stayed silent this time. ¡°Luca?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you suddenly bringing this up?¡± I wondered if it was also a topic that he couldn¡¯t disclose. Anything about Luca always sparked my curiosity these days. ¡°The High Priest said he met Rere when she was one year old.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And the High Priest told me that Rere was much bigger than kids her age.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°Judging by your reaction, it seems Luca expected it to some extent. But I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve already expected it or you¡¯re simply surprised that the High Priest remembered her when she was still one year old.¡± His face suddenly turned darker than ever. ¡°But I didn¡¯t ask you to tell me everything. I was just wondering if you knew something. You don¡¯t have to answer.¡± ¡°¡­.Really?¡± ¡°So I thought of investigating it later because I feel like it gives us a clue to solve the problem.¡± ¡°A clue?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not investigating you. I don¡¯t want to force you to talk about something you can¡¯t say. But it¡¯s about Rere. I want to investigate her illness.¡± As if a little surprised, he let out a small gasp. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that.¡± Chapter 90 His casual words rang a bell in my head. My suspicion that Luca might be the duke had been confirmed. And that brought a smile to my face. ¡°Yes. Rather than a disease, there must be another problem that caused it. So I¡¯m going to dig up some information first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to help you.¡± ¡°Since Luca is helping me, I feel like everything is going to work out just fine.¡± As I smiled and made eye contact with him, the carriage gradually slowed. I could see that we had reached the familiar temple from the carriage window. No different than last time, the priests immediately flocked to our carriage. ¡°Madam. Shall I open the door?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The priests were gathered in a smaller number than before and looked at me with shining eyes. ¡°Is there anyone you want to meet? If there¡¯s none, allow me to show you around.¡± It was my first time seeing this priest. It wasn¡¯t just that. They surrounded us like a pack of hounds fighting for prey. But when some of them recognized who we were, they couldn¡¯t hide their disappointed expression and turned their backs. As if they already knew that I visited this place once. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Priest Raphael.¡± ¡°I see. Then someone else will guide you to him. Hey, you. Take them to Priest Raphael.¡± Of course I would prefer to meet Raphael more than these unfamiliar priests. But the priest, who had been talking so amicably until just now, signaled to another priest nearby with a disappointed expression. As if suddenly I had become a nuisance. So this is how you¡¯re going to behave, huh? ¡°I¡¯m Isaac the junior priest. I¡¯ll show you the way.¡± ¡°Thank you. Last time, I gave a donation to Sir Raphael, but today I¡¯d like to give a donation to Isaac who kindly guided me. Will that be okay?¡± At that moment, the priest who pretended to be friendly and the other priests stopped walking. The low-ranking priest who had pushed me to Isaac rushed to block my way. ¡°Now that I think about it, I just happen to have time. Please allow me to guide you. Step aside, Isaac.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry. I want to be guided by Isaac. You seem very busy.¡± I passed him with a smug smile and treated him just as much as he treated me like a nuisance earlier. ¡°A-Are you sure you want me to guide you?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s my own choice. Ah, here¡¯s the donation.¡± In the future, I¡¯ll receive a lot of funds as the duchess. I simply gave Isaac a very small portion of it. His eyes lit up upon seeing the money. ¡°This is such an honor for me. Thank you very much!¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± I could hear the disappointed groaning behind me, but I walked ahead without minding any of them. ¡°That aside, if you¡¯re a junior priest, then I assume you¡¯re not as busy, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Except for praying time.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯m thinking of visiting every three days, so would you like to escort me from now on?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± I already met Raphael once, but a senior priest like him wouldn¡¯t always be available. So it would be pretty useful to get to know Isaac. In the meantime, we reached the room after walking through the hall for a long time. ¡°Would you please wait here for a minute? I¡¯ll bring in Priest Raphael.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The door closed, and the same silence lingered over Luca and me like last time. ¡°The temple is really filled with money-crazy people.¡± ¡°At first, the High Priest fired those who did shady business within the temple. But it comes with a consequence.¡± ¡°Consequence?¡± ¡°I should rake in as much money as possible if I¡¯m going to get kicked out anyway. That¡¯s what they thought.¡± A dry laugh escaped my mouth. ¡°Whoa. They never fail to impress me.¡± ¡°In the end, the High Priest gave up on them. There¡¯ll always be people like that no matter how many people he kicked out.¡± Why can¡¯t I do it when others can? And that¡¯s why corruption would always exist in this place. At that time, the door opened and Priest Raphael rushed in. ¡°Who brought you here? If you had contacted me, I would¡¯ve taken you here without trouble.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s alright. Will I be able to meet the High Priest today?¡± ¡°Of course. I checked earlier that the High Priest is here today.¡± ¡°Then can I meet him right away?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± But Priest Raphael didn¡¯t budge from his spot with a spark in his eyes. So I had to take out my purse again, pretending as if I had forgotten something. ¡°Is this enough-¡± ¡°Yes. I will do my best to bring His Holiness to you. So please wait a moment.¡± He really irked me whenever he spoke like that. I started to consider abandoning him and just stick with Isaac next time. Raphael hummed a tune as he pocketed the money and left. A moment later, he walked in with the High Priest just as he promised. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to see you, Your Holiness.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you Duchess Petri? I didn¡¯t expect to see you this soon.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to grab any chance presented? Anyway, I couldn¡¯t thank you properly last time, so I asked to meet you even though I knew you were probably busy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Shortly after our greeting Raphael closed the door, and there were only me, Luca, the High Priest and his knight in the room. ¡°But it seems like you¡¯re doing a better job as a High Priest. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve ever done it before.¡± I could feel the knight¡¯s sharp gaze on me. Well, it¡¯s not like I care about his stares anyway. ¡°Yes. That seems to be the case. I¡¯m done with my business anyway.¡± ¡°Your business?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been looking for something. But I couldn¡¯t find it no matter how hard I searched. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t really focus on my duties here.¡± I only nodded without a word. ¡°But I¡¯ve been looking for something that I haven¡¯t been able to find for a long time. In fact¡­.even if I found what I¡¯m looking for, I still won¡¯t do my duty in this temple. I hate to deal with political interest and corruption that only gives privileges to those who give donations. But now I changed my mind.¡± I could see the High Priest¡¯s face was shining so brightly while he was rambling non-stop. ¡°That was an abrupt change.¡± ¡°Yeah. I changed my mind thanks to Duchess Leona.¡± ¡°Because of me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to specify what exactly made you change?¡± Along with a smile, he nodded with a solemn look. I had nothing more to say if he reacted like that. ¡°That aside, you can come to the temple anytime if you want to see me. I may not be able to help you a lot, but I can give my blessing for your future.¡± ¡°Thank you. Then I¡¯ll be on my way now. I have another purpose for coming here, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to take more of your time.¡± ¡°Yes. I hope peace will always be with you.¡± I bid farewell to the High Priest for the last time before leaving the room. I was going to ask Raphael to guide me, but he was already gone. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Instead, Isaac waited in front of the door even though his duty was already over. ¡°Oh, Isaac?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m here. Do you need any help?¡± ¡°I want to go to the temple library. Can you take me there?¡± ¡°Oh! Only priests are allowed to enter the library. More importantly, only an authorized person can enter¡­do you still want me to take you there, though?¡± I lifted the corner of my mouth as I pulled a medal from my rabbit pocket. ¡°Can I enter if I have this?¡± ¡°Ah! Yes! You can enter. Let¡¯s go.¡± He was such a kind man. If it was Raphael, I would have to pay him once more. ¡°Isaac. Don¡¯t you earn extra money as a priest?¡± ¡°Oh! W-Well, I¡¯m just a junior priest! So I don¡¯t do such business¡­.um yeah..¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I understand what you mean.¡± ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t come into the temple to make money. Of course, in order to not starve and send some money to my parents¡­.so I have to¡­.you know¡­¡± Just like the High Priest¡¯s knight, some people in the temple are truly here to serve God. So I watched him in silence. Come to think of it, he looked older than Priest Raphael. ¡°So what¡¯s the difference between a senior and a junior priest?¡± ¡°We were ranked after taking a test. I¡­I failed several tests. People hated me because I couldn¡¯t get along with my superiors.¡± ¡°I guess you can only pass the test if you can please your superior, huh?¡± ¡°That seems to be the case for the priests and knights here.¡± A bitter smile crossed his face as he quickened his steps. I felt like I was poking someone in the wrong place, so I followed him quietly with a guilty feeling. And then we arrived in front of a white door guarded by two knights. ¡°You can¡¯t go in here.¡± ¡°Oh, this person has¡­¡± Isaac tried to explain about my medal in hurry, but the knights looked down at him with a mocking tone. ¡°Does a junior priest know anything about literature?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so mean. I know this priest. Aren¡¯t you Isaac? You entered the temple at the age of ten and have been a junior priest for 30 years. How pitiful.¡± ¡°What a fool.¡± Whether they realized my presence or not, they threw shade at Isaac as if they were superior to him. They weren¡¯t that great anyway. ¡°So just leave, Isaac. Do you even know what this place is like? I can¡¯t even bear to watch a bastard like you.¡± ¡°¡­Please hear me out¡­¡± ¡°You seem pretty cocky just because you brought a believer with you. Get lost already.¡± It didn¡¯t stop there. As if they didn¡¯t care whether I was there or not, the knight hit Isaac in the stomach with his scabbard. ¡°Ugh..¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± Did they even normalize violence like this? So I rushed forward to shield Isaac, and naturally, Luca also marched forward to shield me. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°What am I doing, huh? I¡¯m just protecting this priest from crazy people like you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Will you still be able to say that after I show you this?¡± I took out the medal and brandished it at them. At that moment, the knight¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­!¡± Chapter 91 It was truly amusing to witness such a spectacle. When a nobody suddenly becomes powerful enough to put those who bullied him into their places. And there was an unholy pleasure from watching the knight who previously had been ridiculing Isaac turn pale. ¡°..H-How could you¡­.!¡± ¡°His Holiness himself directly gave it to me. And I¡¯m not just an ordinary noble lady, I¡¯m Duchess Petri. Even if we are equal in the eyes of God, seeing how all of you unfairly divide the wages and torment people, it is only right for me to exercise my position as a duchess.¡± I looked at them with a smile. ¡°D-Duchess Petri¡­.W-What brings you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never thought the Duchess would personally visit the temple¡­M-My deepest apologies.¡± I took a step slowly toward the men standing there without knowing what to do. Meanwhile, Isaac followed closely behind. ¡°You have to apologize to Priest Isaac, not me. You know what? It was he who brought me here.¡± I used honorifics to people all the time, but I made an exception when talking to those who aren¡¯t human. ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Moreover, you mistook me as an ordinary aristocratic lady. I¡¯m going to file a formal complaint with the High Priest, and I¡¯ll ask him to kick you out. I¡¯m pretty sure the person who gave me a free access to this place won¡¯t hesitate to do that much¡± The two men¡¯s faces turned white upon hearing me. ¡°In the end, even if you leave this place, all you can do is to work as a knight. I might as well use my authority to mark you down. Isn¡¯t that a perfect future for a bully?¡± People who bullied others for no reason were the worst type of people on earth. Especially those who worked in the same field. Even if the High Priest couldn¡¯t kick them out, I¡¯ll make sure to hold them accountable for what they¡¯ve done. ¡°Please don¡¯t do that. We just¡­think that he¡¯s pathetic¡­¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s you who are pathetic. I was going to stop by the library, but seeing you, who still haven¡¯t come to your senses, makes me want to meet the High Priest.¡± I hated to do this because I felt like a child snitching on another child to the teacher, but it was better than allowing this reckless treatment of Isaac to continue. But they were being uselessly prideful. They didn¡¯t even consider apologizing to Isaac. But at that time. ¡°What¡¯s with the fuss?¡± An unexpected person suddenly appeared. So I turned my head toward the familiar voice. The man who walked behind me was none other than the High Priest himself. ¡°Hoho. Why aren¡¯t you going in yet?¡± ¡°Oh, I greet His Holiness the High Priest.¡± ¡°I greet His Holiness Caleb Benedict Samuel.¡± Isaac and the priests who guarded the library door hurriedly bowed their heads. ¡°Please tell me. Did something happen?¡± While I was fascinated by the High Priest¡¯s gentle tone, the knight opened his mouth first. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, Your Holiness. It¡¯s simply a misunderstandi-¡± So I cut him off. ¡°Misunderstanding, you say? That¡¯s funny. Then explain to us what kind of misunderstanding it was? I glared at the knight in the rear. ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hit your own colleague, people who share the same belief with you, and the one who brought me here? You mocked him by saying that he was an idiot who stayed a junior priest for 30 years.¡± ¡°It was a misunderstanding. I never said that.¡± They were indeed quite shameless. Normally people would have their conscience pricked if I said this, but the knights shook their heads as if they didn¡¯t remember anything. ¡°Isaac, did we ever say anything to you?¡± ¡°¡­That¡­.¡± His eyes visibly shook before he lowered his gaze to the floor. ¡°¡­No, nothing¡­¡± Subjected to violence and enduring years of bullying, he knew it was no use talking. He¡¯d just end up even worse if he said anything. I was so angry at those adults who behaved nothing like their age and at Isaac who couldn¡¯t even talk about what he had been suffering. ¡°Wow. That¡¯s funny. You just made me a liar. Even though I¡¯m the Duchess. I think I know why my husband doesn¡¯t like the temple.¡± I looked at the High Priest sternly. ¡°I¡¯m very disappointed that this is how the temple turned out to be. How can you call yourself a loyal subject of God when you lie so blatantly like this? I shouldn¡¯t have high expectations of you.¡± The High Priest slowly approached the knights. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who¡¯s telling the truth here?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why are you both silent? Do you swear in the name of our God Amidius you are telling the truth?¡± ¡°Of course. I-In the name of Amidius, I-I swear I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± The High Priest turned around to face me. ¡°That¡¯s what they said, Duchess Petri.¡± ¡°¡­.If priests or knights swore in the name of god, will you condone their behavior?¡± ¡°Because one must not use God¡¯s name recklessly, let alone tarnish it.¡± ¡°So what happens if someone lies using God¡¯s name?¡± ¡°They can no longer stay here to serve God.¡± There was one thing that became clear from the conversation with the High Priest. ¡®People in the temple must not tell lies.¡¯ If that is the case, then I should ask Isaac. Even at this moment, Isaac remained silent with his head down. Passing by the overly-confident knights, I approached Isaac. ¡°How about you Isaac? Are you also telling the truth in the name of God Amidius?¡± Only then did I see him tremble. Meanwhile, the knight behind him was shocked by the sudden question and surreptitiously kicked Isaac¡¯s feet to shut him up. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to talk?¡± ¡°I¡­.¡± Isaac couldn¡¯t even raise his head, so I patted his shoulder to soothe him. ¡°The High Priest is right in front of you. So you can just tell the truth comfortably.¡± ¡°I¡­.I¡­I¡¯ll speak only the truth in the name of God Amidius. The Duchess is right. I lied because I was scared.¡± ¡°I see. So who was telling the truth here? Two people say nothing happened and two people say the opposite.¡± He looked around and found Luca standing next to me. ¡°Just in time, there¡¯s one more person with us. Let¡¯s vote using the majority rule.¡± ¡°Y-Your Holiness. But we are the knights here¡­.!¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Both sides are speaking in the name of Amidius. So who can tell me which side is telling the truth?¡± ¡°Your Holiness! It¡¯s unfair because that knight is on their side¡­..!¡± But the High Priest didn¡¯t care no matter how loudly they shouted. ¡°Please tell me.¡± ¡°The Duchess is telling the truth. If you want, I can tell you every single word they said.¡± ¡°Well then, that makes the temple knights liars.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you side with us, Your Holiness!¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. I¡¯ll kick out the knights who lied right away.¡± ¡°A-Are you really kicking us out?¡± ¡°You should be punished for tarnishing Amidius¡¯ name. Maybe I¡¯ve been so quiet these days that everyone thinks I¡¯m a pushover.¡± ¡°But Your Holiness¡­..!¡± The knights shouted, but the High Priest didn¡¯t even bat an eye. Instead, he held Isaac¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°I know you told the truth. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Isaac.¡± ¡°Isaac, you¡¯re still shaking in fear. You don¡¯t have to worry anymore. I will let you win over your fear by giving you proper appreciation for your sincerity.¡± He smirked and then approached the knight. ¡°You get to decide whether you want to walk out on your own or get dragged out.¡± The knights¡¯ lips quivered at the sentence. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! Are you going to kick out a senior priest just because of that junior priest!? Huh?! Are you sure you¡¯re not going to reconsider?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not about Isaac being a junior priest or not. It¡¯s because you have told us a lie in God¡¯s name. Forget it. I¡¯ll just kick you out myself.¡± Without the slightest hesitation, the High Priest grabbed the knight by arm. ¡°Isaac, can you guard this place temporarily?¡± ¡°Y-Yes sir! Eventually, the still-complaining knights had to be dragged away by the High Priest and his aide. They kept protesting as if getting treated unfairly. On the contrary, Isaac looked at them as if finding them pitiful. ¡°W-What will happen to me now?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, Isaac. You just need to guard this library.¡± ¡°Umm, but¡­¡± ¡°I think Isaac is suitable for this position. I¡¯m sure our god blessed you more than anyone else.¡± At the High Priest¡¯s words, Isaac looked like he was going to cry. ¡°I-I¡¯m so grateful. The Duchess is such a kind person.¡± ¡°This is nothing to be thankful for. Then I¡¯ll go inside first and take a look at the library.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll be guarding right here.¡± So I entered the library with great relief. A library that was so tranquil and exuded the ambiance of a temple. Warm light seeped through the glass ceiling, and numerous books filled the white bookcase. ¡°This place is¡­.¡± ¡°There are so many books.¡± ¡°It¡¯s tempting to explore more, but we should focus on our objective first.¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking for books about diseases, right?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Chapter 92 Unlike me, who was overwhelmed by so many books in front of me, Luca moved swiftly in search of books as if he already found his objective ¡°I think it¡¯s this way I¡¯m sure the book that contains the patient¡¯s report is very thick¡± He led me through a small hallway until we arrived in front of a huge pillar This place had a very different atmosphere from the library earlier ¡°I think the patient¡¯s records will most likely be stored here The books here are different from what we saw earlier, you see¡± Indeed, the other books were bound neatly, but the books here were only made from compiling the paper together It looked very sloppy, but surely the content itself was far from careless ¡°I think so¡± ¡°Then shall we look for it now?¡± ¡°Luca, you¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You seem to be familiar with Rere¡¯s illness even though you barely talk about it¡± His eyes shook for a moment ¡°Because I¡¯m a knight of this family¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right But still¡± He didn¡¯t even question Rere¡¯s illness Seeing how eager he was to find the book, I was certain of one thing now Luca was the Duke He knew his daughter¡¯s illness better than anyone else ¡°I feel like Luca cares a lot about Rere¡± ¡°Of course I care about Miss Rebecca more than anybody else¡± ¡°Yeah, that seems to be the case¡± ¡°I also think Leona cares a lot about Rere Honestly, I never thought that there would be an approach like this¡± So I looked at him silently and I could tell that Luca was in a good mood He was as excited as a child discovering something new ¡°I guess the Duke doesn¡¯t even think of looking for another method, huh?¡± ¡°Because there are times when he only believes what he thinks is right¡± ¡°I think so¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he only does that much But I think it¡¯s a relief that Leona is here I have faith that Miss Rebecca is going to be healthy¡± ¡°Do you know that you look very happy right now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right I¡¯m very happy¡± A smile spread across his face And looking at him made me smile, too ¡°It feels strange¡± ¡°Strange?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can smile along when I watch someone smiling I thought I only felt this way whenever I saw Rere, but I also felt this way when I saw you¡± Luca took a step forward, leaned closer and matched his gaze with mine His breath brushed against my skin as he got closer ¡°Same here Leona is the first person that could make me so happy That¡¯s why I¡¯m really happy The woman I love and the woman who loves me back is right in front of me¡± ¡°Luca¡­¡± ¡°Being this close when we¡¯re stuck in a place with only two of us alone¡­It¡¯s driving me crazy¡± His fingers began to trace my cheeks ¡°Can I¡­Can I be a little more greedy? My feelings for you are growing and it¡¯s driving me crazy¡± ¡°Luca¡­me too¡­¡± I put my hand over the lean fingers that caressed my cheeks I feel like my body was as hot as his heated hand Just when we were slowly closing our distance, the door suddenly burst open ¡°Duchess Are you here?!¡± It was the High Priest¡¯s voice Just like ignorant parents who burst into their children¡¯s room, the High Priest was looking for me with a very loud voice ¡°¡­It¡¯s an unexpected distraction¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true But I¡¯m glad to know that we felt the same way¡± Standing on tiptoe, I gave him a peck on the lips ¡°L-Leona?¡± ¡°We still have a lot of time¡± When I smiled at Luca, the High Priest quickly approached us ¡°Oh, I knew that you were here¡± The High Priest then glanced at Luca with a very displeased look I could feel his hostility, but I tried to brush it off and approached him ¡°Ah, Your Holiness I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯d look for us here¡± ¡°I was just wondering if there¡¯s anything I can help you with, but it seems you¡¯ve already found what you¡¯re looking for¡± ¡°This is the place where patient¡¯s records are stored, right?¡± He nodded with a light smile ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right Can I help you find it?¡± ¡°How can I bother Your Holiness even more? I¡¯m fine¡± ¡°Alright then¡± He briefly touched the bookshelf and nodded as if he was already done with his business ¡°Then I¡¯ll excuse myself¡± ¡°Did you come only for that?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no other reason¡± ¡°I see Speaking of which¡­rather than simply believing Isaac¡¯s words, you had been listening to the argument earlier from the start, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can¡¯t remember well because I¡¯m getting old Then, I¡¯ll excuse myself I have business to take care of ¡± He just left after saying everything he wanted to say Why on earth did he come here if that¡¯s all he wanted to do? I think he won¡¯t be coming here unless he gets worried that we¡¯re going to do something else Luca and I watched him leave absentmindedly We looked at the door where he came in for a long time I thought he¡¯d come again, but the High Priest didn¡¯t return as if he was truly done dealing with us ¡°I think we should start looking¡± ¡°Alright, Luca¡± The tense and heated atmosphere had disappeared along with the disruption, and since then, we diligently looked for the information However, even after quite a long time, none of us found any patient that had similar symptoms to Rere¡¯s ¡°There are way too many for us to find it immediately today Let¡¯s just check this bookshelf today and check the other bookshelf next time¡± ¡°Alright No one comes here anyway, so the books¡¯ arrangement will stay exactly like when we left¡± It was a pity, but looking at numerous people who had different diseases, there was small expectation that I could eventually find a cure for Rere¡¯s illness ¡°Let¡¯s go back¡± Just like how we entered, I held Luca¡¯s hand as we left While we were inside, new knights who replaced the punished knights were guarding the door enthusiastically The same was true of Isaac ¡°Have you come out?!¡± ¡°Have you been waiting all this time?¡± ¡°Yes Because I¡¯d still have to escort you out when you completed your business¡± ¡°Thank you¡± Isaac led the way with a very wide grin on his face Before long, we finally arrived at the carriage ¡°I look forward to seeing you again¡± ¡°If anything happens again, you can just come to find me You¡¯ll be welcome anytime¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry After the Duchess entered the library, the High Priest looked for me¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes And I think I can show you a better side of me next time¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it¡± After saying our farewell, I entered the carriage He bowed to me for the last time as the coachman came to close the carriage door ¡°Are we going back to the duchy, madam?¡± ¡°No I want to go to the market¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you there¡± The coachman briefly looked at me as if finding my request unusual before closing the door completely ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to return immediately today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to drop by the market first It must have stopped raining by now, and I have a game I want to play with Rere¡± ¡°Are you going to buy stuff for the young lady?¡± ¡°Yes¡± ¡°Is it some sort of gift?¡± I made eye contact with Luca before I turned my gaze out the window ¡°It is a gift, but I¡¯m only going to pick gifts that Rere can¡¯t have¡± ¡°Is there a gift that my young lady can¡¯t have?¡± ¡°She¡¯s so used to getting everything handed to her so perfectly But there must be something that Rere doesn¡¯t have¡± Just in case, I already looked at every toy Rere had in her room for a few days So I was confident this time After a while, the carriage slowed down gradually Sitting in the carriage, I pulled back the curtains and looked out the window It was the empire¡¯s market that Leona had visited countless times But it was the first for me The difference between just visualizing it in my head and actually experiencing it was quite vast Just like now So I tried to hide my surprise and casually looked at the market without hesitation ¡°Shall we get off then?¡± Luca said ¡°Y-Yeah!¡± *** A place bustling with people I already had seen people from this country at the party, but the people in here looked very different Even the commoners I thought that people wouldn¡¯t be that different no matter where they lived, but I was surprised once again because their clothes were very different from what I had seen And the most surprising thing was those who kept begging relentlessly Maybe because there were too many people begging for money, the passers-by didn¡¯t even spare a glance at them ¡°You look like a child who saw the market for the first time, Leona¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You were dazedly looking at people¡± ¡°Ah¡­Is that so?¡± I looked alternately between him and the passers-by ¡°They look very different from the people I saw at the Duke¡¯s party, you see¡± ¡°I suppose so¡± ¡°I can feel the reality that there¡¯s a huge status difference in this society I didn¡¯t know there would be so many beggars¡± Luca took my hand without saying a word ¡°There¡¯s this side of society anywhere I¡¯ve heard the emperor tried a lot of ways to save them, but it didn¡¯t work¡± ¡°What did he do?¡± ¡°Gave out donations and relocated them¡± ¡°¡­It will never work that way Rather, they¡¯d think they don¡¯t have to work anymore since money will come to them They¡¯ll become foolish people who wait under the apple tree for an apple to fall¡± Chapter 93 Luca couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. ¡°Umm, Leona¡­.?¡± ¡°It¡¯d be better not to give them financial aid. After all¡­.¡± Excessive kindness makes people lazier. No wonder the beggars seemed to have lost their motivation, this was the reason. ¡°Did other nobles always do this kind of charity?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­.Was it always like this in other regimes? I¡¯m not talking about the current regime¡­.¡± ¡°No. It was the current emperor who implemented this policy. He initiated it because he himself was a victim of discrimination.¡± ¡°¡­.That¡¯s really not good.¡± It was truly the worst policy. If I had a say in the policy-making process, I¡¯d definitely resort to another solution. Rather than encouraging people to get back to work, it was absurd to instill the idea that they could live without doing anything. ¡°Come to think of it, there are so many beggars for a country that isn¡¯t at war. Are there more people turning into beggars these days?¡± I didn¡¯t usually pay attention to them, so I couldn¡¯t remember what they were like before. But it shocked me even more when I saw them closely now. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So this is the result of implementing the wrong policy.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d create a different policy if you were the emperor, Leona.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t even know much about politics. Even if I were the emperor, I wouldn¡¯t come up with a great solution either, but at least I wouldn¡¯t think of doing that.¡± If I were an emperor or someone powerful enough to give him some advice, I¡¯d never think of wasting money recklessly on people. I could create more job opportunities for the purpose of strengthening the state security. It¡¯d be better to let them know that making money isn¡¯t only possible for people with talent or capability. Money is something you earn yourself, not from someone else. ¡°You leave me in awe every time.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°You seem to have a different take on every matter.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile awkwardly at Luca, who seemed to read my thoughts. ¡°Luca thinks too highly of me.¡± ¡°Is it because I¡¯m in love?¡± ¡°That seems to be the case. Because I always admire how cool you are every time I see you.¡± He smiled brightly and reached out his hand to me. ¡°So where do you want to go, milady?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go around and look at things first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll guide you.¡± My heart was pounding when I took his warm hand. The sound of children running around or people arguing with the merchant, asking for discounts. And the sound of horse hooves as they passed by us. All sorts of sound was mixed in the air. But as I walked with Luca next to me, I felt like I was in a different world. ¡°Somehow, it feels like a date. My heart is racing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to think so. I¡¯m actually very happy these days.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m very happy. I didn¡¯t think I could take some of your time as you were very busy, but we have been together often lately.¡± In the meantime, my eyes were caught by a small toy vendor on the street. It was exactly what I had been looking for. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± ¡°Those are toys.¡± ¡°The Duke has done so many things for Rere. It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that he bought her all the toys that exist in the world. But thanks to all that expensive stuff, Rere never got the chance to own these little things.¡± People who have everything are rather interested in what they do not have. That¡¯s why this would be a new gift for Rere. ¡°Which one are you buying?¡± ¡°I will buy a lot of these. I want to show her that there are many interesting toys, even if they are not expensive.¡± For Rere, toys were all about big dolls in a big playhouse or high-quality tin soldiers. ¡°Do you think she will like it?¡± Luca¡¯s eyes trembled uneasily. ¡°Luca may have been watching Rere longer than me, but I¡¯m pretty good at dealing with children.¡± With a nod, he looked at the other toys without hesitation. He looked excited as if he was grocery shopping. At last, we returned to the duchy with a big box full of toys. But as soon as the carriage arrived at the mansion, the servant waiting at the door rushed to me. ¡°Madam, His Excellency is looking for you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. He ordered you to meet him as soon as you arrived.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even met Rere yet.¡± ¡°But he wanted you to see him right away.¡± Is it possible for someone to be this annoying? ¡°I¡¯ll inform the young lady about your arrival, madam. So you can go ahead with ease.¡± Luca said calmly, as if he was used to this situation. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be right there. You have to hide the box well.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± A sweet smile was plastered on his face as he moved away. Meanwhile, with a heavy step, I had to follow the servant who led me to the Duke. The road to him was always unpleasant. As always. ¡°Sigh¡­.¡± I could only sigh deeply. Fortunately, his room wasn¡¯t too far from the entrance, so we arrived in front of his room already. As if he already welcomed my visit, the servant knocked once and opened the door right away. The Duke was looking at documents and raised his head. ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d be here, but you¡¯re very late today.¡± ¡°I have some business to attend to. And I just came from the market.¡± ¡°If you need anything, you can just get someone else to run your errand. It¡¯s not pleasant to see the Duchess walking about.¡± At this moment, I was so irritated by him. ¡°Are you trying to lock me up here?¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it the same as you saying ¡®don¡¯t go anywhere¡¯? The more this happens, the more I want to get out of here. I stay here only for Rere¡¯s sake, but I may change my mind if this keeps going on.¡± Only then did he narrow his brows. ¡°You must be very offended by what I say.¡± ¡°I was born with a quick temper, so stop ordering me around.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry if I offended you.¡± After giving an apology faster than he usually would, he leaned back and murmured. ¡°Anyway, thank you for coming. Did you find what you wanted?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to visit the temple a few more times.¡± ¡°¡­Seems that you like the temple.¡± ¡°I felt relieved, so it was good.¡± ¡°They¡¯re just a bunch of scammers, though. Is that really the only reason?¡± He asked sharply. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s why I will donate and pray every time I visit. I hope God will heal Rere-¡± ¡°Nonsense. There¡¯s no such thing as God. If God existed, none of this would ever happen.¡± His eyes became as sharp as ever. ¡°¡­Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Human beings are inherently weak animals, and sometimes they cry for help to God even if the deity doesn¡¯t exist. That¡¯s exactly what I do.¡± ¡°I understand, but you¡¯d better not go to the temple.¡± ¡°Why? Because you already know Rere¡¯s secret?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just as you heard. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t hate the temple this much. So there must be something going on there.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°So what the hell is going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Are you still trying to hide it from me? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be lashing out again once I find out what you¡¯re trying to hide, and I really don¡¯t know how to deal with you every time that happens.¡± As if our relationship could never be mended, we glared at each other like enemies. ¡°Forget that. What about the temple?¡± ¡°¡­.I heard a strange story from the High Priest.¡± ¡°Strange story?¡± ¡°He said that one-year-old Rere was bigger than a normal child her age. Does this have anything to do with what you¡¯re trying to hide? Does it have anything to do with your antipathy toward the temple?¡± He shook his head at my question. ¡°¡­About that¡­¡± ¡°Are you sure that Rere is five years old?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to know or ask me anything. Go back now. I don¡¯t care if you go to the temple or not, just leave my child from your affair.¡± ¡°Affair, huh? You still like to think as you like. You¡¯re really the worst.¡± The Duke rose from his seat as if he was very affected by my words. ¡°Why do you always think badly of me? I¡¯m just¡­I¡¯m¡­.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m just worried about you.¡± ¡°Why would anyone like to be ordered around? You never change even when Rere already changes a lot.¡± ¡°¡­Because this is me. That¡¯s who I am.¡± ¡°Right? Then please live like that for the rest of your life. I don¡¯t care what happens to people who don¡¯t matter to me. Then, I¡¯ll excuse myself.¡± His face stiffened as if he took a huge blow. I didn¡¯t pity him even if he made that face. Because Rere was my priority right now. Chapter 94 Perhaps because of Luca¡¯s smooth talk, Rere didn¡¯t get too upset even though I arrived late. Rather, she ran to me as soon as I appeared in her room as if showing how brave she was. ¡°Big Bunny, did you have a good trip?¡± ¡°Yeah! Have you been a good girl, Rere?¡± ¡°Of course~ You don¡¯t have to worry about Rere.¡± Along with a wide grin, Rere approached the table where she had just been sitting and took a piece of paper. ¡°Rere is getting mature now!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only waited and waited! I drew you, Big Bunny!¡± Rere held out a paper with her drawing on it. It was adorable to see her sticking her chest out like she had never been so proud of herself. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Big Bunny! I drew you!¡± And I was in awe upon looking at her drawing. A perfect human form with an excellent color combination. ¡°That¡¯s a great drawing, Rere.¡± ¡°I told you I¡¯m pretty good at it!¡± Rere preened proudly before running back and taking something with her. ¡°But I guess we don¡¯t look alike.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Look at this. Big Bunny is so bad at drawing.¡± What Rere was holding was my drawing. I used to draw stick figures and play with crayons while I was accompanying her. ¡°Rere, that¡¯s¡­.!¡± ¡°I always thought that Big Bunny was good at drawing just like me!¡± ¡°N-No! Anyway! L-Let¡¯s eat now, Rere. I¡¯m hungry after going out.¡± So I reached out my hand to take the paper she was holding. ¡°Are you gonna take it?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Tch..I already drew you, Big Bunny¡­.! Why can¡¯t I keep yours?!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll redraw it for you then.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯ll do my best to draw it for you. I don¡¯t know if I can draw well, though.¡± ¡°I like everything you draw!¡± Rere finally let go of the paper. I handed it to May, who stood behind me, in case Rere changed her mind again. ¡°Go burn it right now.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± May quickly scurried out as soon as she accepted the paper. ¡°I¡¯ll get the meal ready.¡± ¡°Since Ms. Leona is here, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± The nanny and Luca said one after another. ¡°Rere, let¡¯s get ready to eat.¡± ¡°Yup!¡± So we had a hearty meal together, and just like that, our peaceful days passed by again. *** Three days passed. After all the preparation for the treasure hunting was completed, I woke the child at last. ¡°Rere, wake up. It¡¯s morning already.¡± ¡°Uh¡­.I know¡­.I have to get uup¡­.¡± After rubbing both of her eyes languidly, Rere snuggled into my arms. ¡°I want to sleep more¡­..I¡¯m sleepy. I¡¯ve been sleeping a lot lately. What if I¡¯m sick¡­..¡± Rere puffed her chubby cheeks grouchily and bumped her head against my shoulder. ¡°I guess Rere is getting bigger now.¡± ¡°Uung?¡± ¡°I heard people fall asleep easily when they grow bigger.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief. But I¡¯m sooo tired, so I¡¯ll just sleep in Big Bunny¡¯s arms.¡± ¡°Okay, sleep more.¡± Rere showed off her childlike side to me and clung to me for a long time until she woke up. After she woke up, the nanny and I worked together to wash her. ¡°Master said that he couldn¡¯t join you for breakfast today.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. He left for urgent work in the imperial palace early in the morning.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± My heart sank the moment she mentioned the Imperial Palace. ¡°¡­.Yeah. I guess he¡¯s finally working now.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll prepare your meal so you can eat comfortably in your room today.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± ¡°Big Bunny! What are we going to play after eating?¡± ¡°Treasure hunt!¡± Rere¡¯s eyes sparkled at my words. ¡°Are we going to do it now?¡± ¡°Yeah! I just finished all the preparation.¡± ¡°Sounds fun!¡± ¡°Are you excited?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s excited? I¡¯m just trying to have fun because Big Bunny looks so excited!¡± Rere pouted and jumped from my arms as soon as the meal came in and began to gobble up the food. ¡°Rere. Why are you eating so fast? Eat slowly.¡± ¡°Who is eating so fast? It looks like that because Big Bunny eats too slow. Hurry up and eat already. Come on!¡± ¡°O-Okay.¡± She tried to act cool, but she clearly looked more excited than ever. In the end, Rere finished her meal faster than usual and urged me. ¡°Hurry up. What should we do next? Hmm?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be fun with only two people. Should we invite other people?¡± ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s do it together! Rere, Big Bunny, Luca, and May!¡± Dressed in comfortable clothes, Rere rushed outside and took Luca with her. ¡°May and Nanny are here, so we can play together! The four of us! Come on!¡± ¡°You must be very excited, miss.¡± ¡°No! Look at her. Don¡¯t you see my Big Bunny is very happy right now? That¡¯s why I¡¯m willing to play! So let¡¯s go out and play for my Big Bunny!¡± Everyone laughed at her words and went out together. ¡°Now, what are we going to do, Big Bunny?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve hidden little notes here and there. If you can find them, I¡¯ll give you the present written on the note. You don¡¯t have to go anywhere else because it was scattered around this garden.¡± ¡°Present! Will there really be a present?¡± ¡°Yeah! You have to find the treasure!¡± ¡°I will find it all! All of them!¡± Jumping excitedly, Rere ran fast even before I could start the game. Luca, May, and the Nanny hurried after Rere. Contrary to what she said before, Rere looked for the notes thoroughly. The child jumped around in excitement as she looked for small notes hidden throughout the garden. The little toys I bought in the market were written on each note she found. Rere earned so many toys in no time, but surprisingly, none of the toys were small. An octagonal dice tray made of crystal, an animal chessboard for children, or a pinwheel that produces thousands of colors when it spins. All of the presents were wrapped in beautiful packaging. In the meantime, the others managed to find one or two notes each. ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll keep it first and give the presents all at once, okay?¡± ¡°Yeaah! More! More! I¡¯ll come back with more notes! Since Rere found this, you can¡¯t give it to anybody else, okay?¡± ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll find more!¡± Rere rushed to find some more. All the notes were put in a place easily enough for her to notice somehow. Whether it was in the bushes or on the branches that were high enough for her to reach. It only took a couple of hours before Rere returned with all the notes. ¡°This is all Rere¡¯s! Rere found this many!¡± ¡°Wow! You are so amazing!¡± In reality, it was thanks to people who found the notes first and moved them to where Rere could see them. And so the treasure hunt ended much faster than expected. ¡°Rere is so amazing, right? Sigh¡­.Where else can you find a daughter who has so much charm like Rere? And now Rere is becoming even more charming¡± ¡°Umm¡­Rere?¡± ¡°Is there anything that Rere can¡¯t do? Sigh¡­.they said being so charming can be so tiring¡­.I feel like my life will be so tiring from now on¡­¡± The child creased her forehead, acting as if she was disturbed. ¡°But I¡¯ll be fine as long as I have Big Bunny!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Looking at the child¡¯s bright smile, I knelt down to match her gaze. ¡°But you know, Big Bunny?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°So many things seem to like you! So I¡¯m starting to get a little jealous.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Yeah! Look at you. There¡¯s a leaf stuck on your hair. Sigh¡­the leaves must be stuck like that because they like Big Bunny!¡± She then removed the leaf that was caught in my long hair. ¡°It¡¯s only a leaf, though?¡± ¡°Yeah! It must be stuck on you because it likes you!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yuuup! This makes me even more tired! I need to stop Big Bunny from being so popular. I get jealous because of a leaf. But what can I do? It¡¯s my own fault for having such a wonderful woman as my mom!¡± Rere buried her head in my shoulder. ¡°Then let¡¯s go in. Give me my present already! What¡¯s the present? I see a lot of interesting names! I can¡¯t wait to see it!¡± ¡°Luca and I brought a lot of things. I don¡¯t know if Rere will like it¡­.¡± ¡°I said I like it! I won¡¯t be disappointed if Big Bunny and Luca brought it for me! Let¡¯s go! I¡¯m tired because I moved a lot today.¡± As soon as I heard that, I held the child and tried to get up, but a cracking sound could be heard from my knee. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong Big Bunny?¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m sure that Rere is growing.¡± She had gotten heavier. I could confirm as someone who holds the child every day. ¡°Did I grow up? I¡¯m really growing up, right? I told you so! I wish I could grow up to be as big as you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll grow up in no time. By the way, you sweat a lot today. I think you should wash first.¡± ¡°No. Gimme the present first! I can¡¯t wait to see it!¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± I already told Luca to put the present box in one corner of the room. As soon as we got into the room, I put Rere¡¯s notes on the table. ¡°What about the present?¡± ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll bring it to you. Anyone else have the notes?¡± ¡°I have one.¡± ¡°I have three!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have one. I couldn¡¯t find one because the young lady has found them all.¡± Unlike Luca and the nanny, May took three notes without a care in the world. As a result, Rere pouted and glared at May. ¡°You took my three notes.¡± Even though people found it first, they left the notes on the ground so that Rere could take them, but May got too excited about finding the notes as well. ¡°¡­Haha¡­that¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Rere. But there are 26 of them.¡± ¡°No! I hate it! Rere wants to take it all!¡± Chapter 95 ¡°Th-Then I will give you all of mine.¡± May reluctantly held out her notes, but the child was greatly upset and only glared at her. ¡°Who do you take me for, huh!? A street thug?! Who wants it anyway!¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rere angrily stomped off. We were all frozen because of Rere¡¯s unexpected behavior. In the meantime, Rere rustled through something and came back to us. ¡°This is a fair deal, okay?! I don¡¯t want to get it from you for free. I¡¯ll give you this instead, so let¡¯s trade!¡± Then Rere held out a thick pocket toward May. ¡°M-My lady¡­this¡­.!¡± ¡°Why? Not enough?¡± ¡°B-But I don¡¯t think the gift¡­.is worth all this money¡­.¡± Upon hearing that, Rere flared her nose angrily. ¡°It¡¯s from my mom! Do you mean that everything my mom gives me is worthless?!¡± ¡°Oh no! Of course, everything she gives you is precious¡­.¡± ¡°Anything my mom gives me is precious! Damn it¡­want me to kick you out?¡± Rere clenched her small, round fist as she glared at May. ¡°N-No! I just think it¡¯s too much¡­.¡± ¡°That is not more precious than what Big Bunny gave me! So just give it to me!¡± May looked at me and the nanny alternately with a puzzled expression and eventually handed the note to Rere. She was forced to take the gold pocket. ¡°C-Can I really keep this?¡± ¡°Yeah! May, you, who are ignorant about how precious these notes are, don¡¯t deserve them at all!¡± Rere snatched the notes from May¡¯s hand and opened them up so eagerly. Then she came up to me and gave me her notes. ¡°Here!¡± ¡°O-Okay, Rere.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anything!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it from someone else, okay? I bought it at a fair price!¡± Perhaps worried that I¡¯d scold her, the child impatiently blurted out her mind before I could say something. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Yes? I mean, what?!¡± (TL/N: She said ¡®Yes¡¯ very politely at first) ¡°When you make a deal with someone, it¡¯s true that you must take out something you can offer first. But it¡¯s not right to force your opponent.¡± ¡°¡­But¡­.May didn¡¯t even realize how precious these things are that you gave me.¡± So I picked up the sullen-faced child. ¡°People may feel differently. I might be precious to Rere, but others probably don¡¯t think the same way.¡± ¡°Only an idiot thinks that way! They have no idea how precious my Big Bunny is!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what people think of me. As long as I know that Rere treasures me this much. We can¡¯t all feel the same way, right?¡± Then the child nodded hard, shaking her plump cheeks. ¡°That¡¯s right! Then, shall we open the present now?¡± Rere turned her head sharply and stared right at Luca. He then held out the notes to Rere like he was pricked by something. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll give you mine, too.¡± ¡°No. You don¡¯t need to do that, Luca.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Because everything that belongs to Luca is mine.¡± Rere said confidently, not taking her eyes off Luca. ¡°I¡¯d give Luca the honor to keep my mom¡¯s notes!¡± ¡°My present will be yours, Miss.¡± ¡°As expected! I like Luca because he¡¯s so smart.¡± ¡°Miss! You even took my notes!¡± May yelped, still clenching the gold pocket in her arms. ¡°You don¡¯t need the notes, May!¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Luca needs it the most. Luca likes my Big Bunny, so we have to let him keep it. If not, Luca will be sad.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­.?¡± Luca¡¯s face was slightly flushed due to her unexpected remarks. ¡°Am I wrong?¡± ¡°N-No¡­I mean¡­um¡­It¡¯s true that I like Leona¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you smile when I told you to keep the note? You seem to be in a good mood.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right. I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯d be this considerate toward me, Miss.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m a generous and kind lady.¡± With her chin raised, she looked down at the people around her and stopped at May again. ¡°Also! I know you need money!¡± ¡°Pardon¡­.?¡± ¡°Whenever my cake gets thrown away, you¡¯d always say that it was a waste and whine about how your brothers like chocolate cakes.¡± ¡°Aaah¡­!¡± ¡°Buy as much as you want. Others will think that my daddy pays you too little!¡± The atmosphere in the room became stiff in an instant. She dropped bombshell after bombshell. Me, the nanny, Luca and May were shocked. None of us knew that Rere was being that considerate toward others. ¡°Miss¡­back then you.¡­.¡± ¡°Stop blabbing about my past, won¡¯t you?! I don¡¯t want to hear it. I¡¯m the same as I used to be!¡± As she said that, Rere pouted and rubbed her face against mine. ¡°Yeah, Rere never changed. Rere was nice before and is still nice now. Am I right?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. But that¡¯s not all. Rere used to be pretty and is still pretty now.¡± ¡°More! More!¡± ¡°Rere used to be cute, and is still cute now.¡± ¡°More! More!¡± Rere liked to hear the compliment, and kept shouting ¡®more!¡¯ for a long time. At last, when I ran out of compliments, the quick-witted Luca walked up to us. ¡°So when are you going to open the gift?¡± ¡°Ah, wait. Sit here, Rere. I¡¯ll bring the gift.¡± ¡°Oh! I almost forgot!¡± Even though she said she almost forgot, she continued to fiddle with her notes. After Rere sat on the chair, I brought out the box I had left in Rere¡¯s dressing room. I packed a lot of toys whenever I couldn¡¯t sleep at night. Thanks to that, the box was full of gifts in pretty packages. ¡°Wowwww! All of this is mine?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not yours. It belongs to those who own the note.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s mine! Hehe~ It must be very heavy. I¡¯ll hold some for you!¡± She didn¡¯t even give me a chance to say I¡¯m fine before she took an armful of gifts from the box. ¡°But why are they so light?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when you open it.¡± I passed by the curious Rere and put the box 0on the table. ¡°Well, then. You may exchange the notes with gifts.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Do I have to give you the note? Can¡¯t I just keep this?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I want the notes, too! I¡¯m going to keep everything Big Bunny made for me! Ah¡­no.. I mean, I¡¯m going to play with it until I get bored and throw it away after.¡± At my words, Rere rolled her eyes to avoid my gaze. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to throw it away?¡± ¡°Ah, anyway. Give me the present, hurry!¡± The child had climbed onto the table out of curiosity and now returned to her seat, looking at the present with a wide grin on her face. I took the notes in order to exchange them for gifts. Of course, as soon as I read it, Rere took the note from me again. ¡°This is the first gift. You may open it.¡± ¡°Uh, okay!! My heart is pounding.¡± With her personality, I thought Rere would rip it apart immediately, but she was tearing it with utmost care. ¡°You can just tear it apart, Rere.¡± ¡°No. Big Bunny had worked so hard to wrap it up. So I don¡¯t want to do that.¡± Rere shook her head firmly before moving her hands busily again. ¡°How are you so sure that I wrapped it?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t? Tsk, come on. Then I¡¯ll just tear it apart. Haaa¡­it¡¯s so hard to open the gift slowly.¡± Believing my words, Rere tore the wrapping apart without hesitation. Now I couldn¡¯t bring myself to be honest when I saw the child tearing it off excitedly. ¡°Wow¡­.What¡¯s this? I¡¯ve never seen a toy like this before!¡± After that, Rere continued to exchange her notes with gifts. Every time a gift was revealed, her face brightened like a spring flower. Not only that, she even wrapped her small hand around my cheek. ¡°Look at this! Wooah woah! There¡¯s this durururu sound every time the dice rolls! I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before! There¡¯s an animal chess board¡­.so cute!!! I want to play chess! I want to learn how to play chess!¡± Rere yelled excitedly as if finding the wooden chess horses cute. After that, she didn¡¯t stop expressing her admiration. Rere was especially charmed by the pinwheel that produced fifty thousand colors like a rainbow, but she was frozen in place when looking at a strange object. ¡°What is this?¡± It was a soap bubble with a plastic-like material as its applicator inside a transparent glass bottle. It wasn¡¯t exactly plastic, but it wasn¡¯t wood either. It was an unusual material. The texture was wood, but it had a good elasticity, so it widened into a shape whenever you pulled out the applicator. ¡°This is a soap bubble.¡± ¡°Soap bubble?¡± It was one of the things that I didn¡¯t expect to exist in this world. When I pulled it out, the applicator spread in the shape of a gourd bottle. ¡°How do you play with that?¡± Looking at Rere, I blew air into the gourd-shaped applicator. Then bubbles began to float in the air, giving off a mysterious glow as if they contained a rainbow. ¡°Wooow!! What¡¯s this!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a soap bubble!¡± It was different from the soap bubbles that I knew. There was a very tiny mana stone on the bottom of the glass. Maybe that¡¯s why the bubbles lasted longer than usual. ¡°Wooow! More! Do more! More!¡± Her eyes were twinkling as if filled with starlight. Rere rose from her seat and tried to grab the bubbles with her hands. When I bought this product from a merchant, I thought the price was unusually high. Now I could see why it was so expensive. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yeah! I like it!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll buy it whenever I go out since Rere likes it so much.¡± ¡°No!!¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°Yup! Don¡¯t go many times, just buy it all at once! Then the world would be filled with bubbles, right?¡± Rere jumped in place with a heart full of excitement. Chapter 96 ¡°Do you like it that much?¡± ¡°I like it sooooooo much!!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it.¡± ¡°Gosh, but what was that person doing? Daddy never buys me such interesting toys.¡± An arrogant man like him wouldn¡¯t spare a glance at commoner toys. No matter how many mana stones were in it, he¡¯d consider the toys unsuitable for a noble lady to play with. ¡°Your daddy is¡­..¡± But something was off. Usually, I won¡¯t hesitate to curse him out, but one part of my heart felt uncomfortable somehow. Perhaps it was because of Luca. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s¡­.really the duke¡­¡¯ My eyes were glued to Luca. He was startled by my sudden gaze at first, but then smiled brightly. As if he was delighted to meet my gaze. ¡°Daddy? What about Daddy?¡± As I stared at Luca in silence, Rere grabbed my hand. ¡°Big Bunny, so why doesn¡¯t my daddy buy them for me?¡± ¡°I think he simply doesn¡¯t know that these things exist. Because your daddy always wants to give the best to Rere.¡± ¡°Does that mean these things aren¡¯t the best for me? ¡° ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean it like that. Your daddy isn¡¯t aware of these things yet because he only buys expensive things for Rere!¡± Rere nodded as if she just understood something. ¡°Ah! I know what you mean. It¡¯s because my daddy is an idiot, right?¡± ¡°What? N-No¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s alright.¡± Then, Rere waved her hand and stuck out her tongue as if she had enough of her pathetic father. ¡°It¡¯s a problem because Daddy doesn¡¯t admit that he¡¯s an idiot.¡± ¡°I-Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah! Umm, Big Bunny. Do you remember what you used to tell me whenever I did something really bad?¡± ¡°Ask the reason why you did it, and if the reason was unjustified, I¡¯m going to persuade you to change your ways?¡± ¡°Right! So Rere listens to Big Bunny, reflects on herself, and changes. But Daddy never does that.¡± Putting her hands on her waist, she heaved a deep sigh. ¡°Phew. Upon closer look, my daddy is really a baby. He¡¯s more childish than Rere. So I will call him baby from now on.¡± ¡°Uh? D-Do you think so?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d like his new nickname because he¡¯s really a baby. So I will stop playing bubbles now and save it for when I play with that adult baby.¡± Then, Rere held out her hands to me. ¡°So give it to me!¡± ¡°Uh, huh. Here! My lovely Rere is all grown up. You even think about your daddy!¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not doing this, that whiny baby is going to get upset. Then, what¡¯s the last gift?¡± ¡°But this gift belongs to Luca, am I right?¡± ¡°¡­No, Luca will give me his gift¡­right?¡± ¡°Yes, because everything I have belongs to you, Miss.¡± And May, who had been watching Rere and Luca¡¯s peaceful exchange, rushed to their side. ¡°M-Miss, then I¡¯ll¡­.¡± ¡°Haa¡­just keep it, May! Go buy a lot of meat or chocolate cake for your family on your way home today! If you bring up the money again, I won¡¯t let you work for a whole month! Okay?!¡± The angry Rere wrinkled her nose. ¡°Ah¡­B-But Sir Luca¡­.¡± ¡°As for Luca! I¡¯ll reward him later. So just keep it for yourself.¡± ¡°Of course. This gift belongs to you. But in exchange, I¡¯d like you to draw for me later.¡± ¡°I can totally do that for you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m already happy enough to receive a gift that his grace himself hasn¡¯t received.¡± With a smile brighter than ever, Rere nodded contently and turned her head at me. ¡°Hurry up and give it to me!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it bigger this time?¡± Rere tilted her head as I took out the gift from the bottom of the box. ¡°Yeah. You may open it.¡± Among all the gifts, I put the most attention to this one. A gift for Rere, who liked to draw but couldn¡¯t draw comfortably because she was wary of catching the duke¡¯s attention. Rere overflowed with emotion as soon she opened the gift. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°My dear Rere is very good at drawing. If Rere paints on it and dries it well, you can make it into a puzzle.¡± ¡°Then¡­.I can hide it even if I draw something Daddy hates?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She didn¡¯t jump with joy or scream. She only stared silently at the thick paper in her hand. ¡°Thank you¡­.¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes! There¡¯s something that I always want to draw!¡± ¡°And what is that?¡± ¡°Oh¡­It¡¯s¡­.umm¡­¡± At my question, Rere walked up to me and stood on tiptoe. I leaned over to hear what she had to say. ¡°Mom¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Daddy¡­.has been hiding the portrait of my mother. He knew that I saw it and got rid of it right away¡­.but I want to draw my mother before I forget. Sorry, Big Bunny.¡± So I stroked Rere¡¯s head gently. ¡°No, Rere. Don¡¯t be sorry to me. It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Okay¡­.¡± Rere hung her head down for a while then regained her smile. ¡°Rere is going to draw Big Bunny after I¡¯m done! So don¡¯t get upset with me, please?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I¡­I miss my mother¡­. please don¡¯t hate me or throw me away¡­ Big Bunny is still number one for Rere¡­ Okay?¡± Her voice trembled as if showing her anxiety. ¡°What would you feel if I said bad things to Rere and ran away secretly?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be very sad. I¡¯m already feeling so sad now¡­.¡± ¡°I just made you feel sad. Will you hate me for that?¡± ¡°¡­.No, because I like Big Bunny. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever hate you. If you run away, I believe you will come back and wait patiently.¡± The child looked sullen as if she had been very hurt, so I picked her up. ¡°I feel the same. Even if Rere does something bad to me and tells me to get lost, I will never leave your side. That¡¯s how much I love you. We share the same feelings.¡± ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m so glad! I thought you were being serious¡­. that made me a little sad.¡± ¡°No need to be sad. Such grief will never come upon us. Well then, shall we go wash now? You¡¯re hungry, aren¡¯t you? ¡°Yup! I¡¯m hungry! Let¡¯s go wash up.¡± Only then did Rere rush to the bathroom gleefully. The nanny and I walked into the bathroom after the child. After spending the whole afternoon in high spirits, Rere began to doze off when the warm water touched her body, and thanks to this, we could wash the child faster. ¡°Madam, my master invited you for a meal.¡± After I dried her body with a towel and prepared to put on her dress, a servant came with news. ¡°The child is sleepy, so we¡¯re going to skip the meal.¡± At that time, Rere blinked her eyes drowsily as if about to fall into slumber then suddenly shook her head firmly. ¡°No. Rere is not going to sleep! Not sleep! Let¡¯s eat! I¡¯m hungry¡­.Big Bunny¡­. should meet my daddy¡­I¡¯m hungry!¡± ¡°Rere, you can eat later.¡± ¡°No. Let¡¯s eat now.¡± I tried to persuade the child once more, but I knew I couldn¡¯t win when the child was this determined. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± Just in time, I finished drying her hair. ¡°Yes, madam!¡± I will go and talk to him properly today. I will tell him to stop being selfish. ¡®I doubt he¡¯ll understand.¡¯ After a while, I arrived at the dining room holding Rere in my arms. The duke stopped eating when we entered the restaurant. ¡°You¡¯re here. You¡¯re running late.¡± ¡°It seems I thought of you as a very mediocre man.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Because I was getting turned off each time I meet you. Unless you do it on purpose.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Only then did he look uncomfortable. ¡°So what is it today? Why did you invite us to a meal? I can¡¯t wait to hear how frustrating it is.¡± All his actions never failed to piss me off. In the meantime, Rere had already seated herself next to me and began to spoon her food. Her head bobbed up and down to the point I couldn¡¯t tell whether she ate or slept. The Duke watched her with an unpleasant look and pointed his fork at her. ¡°Try to persuade her.¡± ¡°Persuade?¡± ¡°His Majesty has ordered us to move forward with the engagement between Rere and His Highness the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because we are a ducal family.¡± ¡°Why is he so obsessed with being in-laws with a ducal family when there are several other ducal families in this empire? As far as I know, there is a child in another ducal family who is about the same age as Rere. I¡¯m talking about Princess Lily Cuffs.¡± He sighed deeply and put down his utensil on the table. ¡°I really can¡¯t understand. The child clearly said she doesn¡¯t want it, but he¡¯s still trying to turn Rere into a crown princess. Unless he has a hidden purpose.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing.¡± ¡°Think carefully. Do you really think he doesn¡¯t have a hidden purpose?¡± His eyes shook for a moment as he tried to deny what I said. As if he just came to a realization, he closed his mouth tightly. As if he had a hard time talking about the topic. ¡°You also think it¡¯s strange, right?¡± Chapter 97 Don¡¯t you find it strange?¡± He was silent for a long time. ¡°Your Excellency?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Tell me. Don¡¯t you find it strange, too?¡± I slowly leaned closer to the man who couldn¡¯t get a word out as if ¡®buffering.¡¯ ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about something else. What happened to Duke Arvida? He¡¯s been quiet for a while since Princess Astra showed up last time.¡± ¡°Squeezing sand in your palm harder will make it break out faster, so I loosened up a bit now. Thanks to that, they¡¯ve been roaming freely like an untethered foal.¡± ¡°Did you intentionally set them loose for that reason?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Only then did he nod. ¡°So they can leave more evidence, right?¡± ¡°They¡¯re still as careful as ever, but since they don¡¯t know when the leash will be fastened on them again, they¡¯ve been dropping evidence little by little.¡± ¡°What do you want from them? Destroying their family?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want that. I just want them to get their act together.¡± Now he finally acted like the original duke. Proud, composed, and confident. ¡®Now he really resembles Luca.¡¯ Of course, the man in front of me was not Luca, but Duke Ian Petri. ¡°Have you come to your senses now?¡± ¡°Come to my senses?¡± ¡°You only appear an idiot who can¡¯t make objective judgements when it comes to His Majesty the Emperor.¡± ¡°¡­Do I look like that to you?¡± It did seem like he finally had come to his senses. ¡°Very much.¡± ¡°Just as you said, I can¡¯t say no to him. Whenever I think of the Emperor, I feel like I¡¯m out of my mind. Especially whenever I visit the Emperor.¡± Each time that happened, the duke always changed. I was sure that he regained some sense a little after talking with me, but he would change again when he returned from the palace. At that time, Thud-! There was a loud sound of something hitting the bowl. ¡°Re- Rere!¡± In the midst of our conversation, Rere, who had dozed off while eating, finally dropped her head in the bowl. I hurried to hold the child, but Rere only smiled as if she had fallen asleep deeply. ¡°Oh my god¡­.¡± I was anxious when I looked at the child whose forehead was a little red. ¡°Are you okay? Hmm?¡± Only then Rere opened her eyes and raised her thumb. ¡°I¡¯m done eating.¡± Rere only woke for a moment and went back to sleep in my arms. ¡°Seriously¡­.¡± ¡°I-Is she alright?!¡± ¡°¡­She¡¯s asleep.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­.Is her head alright?¡± Seeing his pale face somehow made me angry. ¡°So why did you ask to have a meal together today, huh?¡± ¡°His Majesty¡­.Sigh¡­¡­Listening to you made me realize that there¡¯s definitely something strange going on. I don¡¯t know why he wants my daughter so much.¡± He bit his lip slightly as if he had finally become aware. ¡°Rather, if there were other noble families who wanted Rere, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to turn down their proposal. Even if they were from a ducal family. But¡­.to reject a royal family is a bit¡­¡± ¡°So what are you going to do?¡± ¡°If I keep avoiding him, he will eventually come here himself.¡± Was it always like this in the past? In the novel, Rere became the crown princess at a very young age, and ended up falling in love with the crown prince because the adults kept forcing them to meet. ¡®If I were the Crown Prince, this kind of forced meeting would rather make me feel sick of Rere.¡¯ Unlike Rere, who fell in love with the Crown Prince at first sight, the Crown Prince particularly disliked Rere. Now I knew the reason why. ¡°But you¡¯re going to protect your child, right?¡± ¡°Of course. Now that I have come to my senses¡­.I¡¯m going to protect her.¡± Meanwhile, the Duke rose from his seat and approached us. ¡°But is Rere really okay? I heard a loud noise earlier.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Her forehead is a little red, but it¡¯s not swollen.¡± ¡°But we still need to call the doctor¡­.¡± ¡°Are you finally acting like a father now? You were concerned about her.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I always like this¡­?¡± I rose from my seat with Rere in my arms. ¡°I hope you will never forget this feeling. I¡¯ll call the doctor when she wakes up.¡± Only then did he nod. ¡°Do you want me to escort you to her room?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m with nanny and May, so I won¡¯t get lost anymore.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± At last, the Duke stepped back, and I walked out of the dining room with Rere in my arms. As soon as I emerged, ¡°Oh my god. Your head¡­.!¡± The nanny frowned upon seeing Rere with soup stain on her hair. ¡°Rere dozed off and hit her head on the bowl.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°I already tried to wipe it¡­.but it¡¯s no use. Let¡¯s wash her.¡± ¡°Alright. Aren¡¯t you tired? I¡¯ll hold her for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t be able to carry her when she grows up.¡± The child will continue to grow from now on. And soon she will be old enough to say that she hates to be hugged. I¡¯ll miss these moments then, so I decided to treasure every hour with Rere. *** That night. Rere already fell deeply asleep after a tiring day. The child¡¯s calm breathing sounded like music in my ears, and I went out on the terrace with relief. Even though a few days had passed since the rain fell heavily, the night was fresher than ever. ¡°Haaa¡­this is so good.¡± ¡°What is so good?¡± Luca suddenly appeared on the terrace. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯re no longer surprised even if I show up like this.¡± ¡°I know. I guess I¡¯ve gotten used to it. Luca suddenly appears and disappears.¡± I leaned against the railing as I faced him. ¡°As for me, I¡¯m not sleeping in case Luca comes.¡± ¡°Did you wait for me?¡± ¡°Yes, I fell asleep quickly whenever I used the oil that Luca gave me, so I didn¡¯t use it today and waited.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since someone¡¯s waited for me.¡± His eyes that normally shined like moonlight looked somber today. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time?¡± ¡°Yes, I actually had a younger sister a long time ago.¡± ¡°A younger sister? You?¡± ¡°Yes, she was a very nice girl who always waited for her bad brother. But I kept her waiting too long.¡± ¡°That means¡­.¡± ¡°No one is waiting for me anymore.¡± His tiny smile looked so bitter that I couldn¡¯t force a word out of my mouth. ¡°Luca¡­¡± I approached him instinctively and stroked his cheek gently. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you. Every night, every hour. I¡¯ll wait for Luca to visit me. So please come every day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so happy. I¡¯m happy that Leona, out of all people, is waiting for me. But I¡¯ll always be next to you, Leona. You don¡¯t have to wait for us to be together.¡± He wrapped his hand around mine. ¡°Leona.¡± ¡°But you know what, Luca? Don¡¯t you think our relationship is strange because there¡¯s the Duke?¡± I want our relationship to go further, but these awkward and strange feelings are bothering me strongly today. ¡°What do you mean by strange?¡± ¡°We¡¯re only married on paper anyway. So I just need to divorce him soon. Only then I can feel at ease and kiss your lips freely.¡± I puckered my lips after I said that, but his face turned a little stiff. ¡°You can¡¯t divorce.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­In any case, you can¡¯t do that.¡± As he didn¡¯t give a clear answer, I was convinced. The fact that Luca was the Duke. I had asked just in case, but now it was clear. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was my trick to surprise an answer from him, who kept his mouth closed, and my certainty was stronger than ever. ¡°I get it. I¡¯ll definitely stay here.¡± A calm smile rose on his lips, and he pulled me into his embrace. ¡°So please don¡¯t reject me.¡± He whispered sadly. It felt like I was comforting a child. ¡°Luca.¡± ¡°Every time you call me with those small lips, I feel like I¡¯m going crazy¡­I bet you don¡¯t even know that.¡± His fingers swept my lips. ¡°Whenever I saw your tender eyes shining like a star, I felt like I was falling into the depths of the sea and swallowed whole.¡± He gently kissed my eyelids. ¡°Everything about you makes me feel sad.¡± ¡°Luca¡­¡± ¡°So please¡­.don¡¯t reject me.¡± I wrapped my arms around his neck. I¡¯d never reject him. From the moment I knew he was the Duke. I didn¡¯t know why there was Duke Ian and Luca separately, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you more than you love me, I love you more than myself.¡± His lips soon landed on mine. His hot breath slowly flowed into my mouth. It felt my body burning and so pressed my body closer to his. He slowly took me over as if he couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. Like a flood was breaking over a dam, he couldn¡¯t hold back from leaving his marks over my body. *** A few days later. ¡°Rere, I will go to the temple soon. It won¡¯t take long today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me!¡± After Rere finished her meal and proceeded to eat dessert, I was ready to leave. Chapter 98 ¡°Mom will go, okay!¡± ¡°I know! I¡¯m not worried anymore!¡± Rere scooped up a load of pudding big enough for it to spill and ate it in one bite. So I walked to the child who smiled in her attempt to reassure me. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± After I came to her side, I sat down and made eye contact with her. ¡°Are you holding back because you¡¯re scared that Mom will hate you?¡± ¡°W-What! Who is holding back? I¡¯m not!¡± ¡°Are you sure? You don¡¯t want me to leave, don¡¯t you? So you¡¯ve been holding back, right?¡± Hearing that, Rere pouted grumpily with her tiny lips. ¡°If I said I was a little jealous¡­If I tell you not to go¡­.will you hate me? Is it okay if I¡¯m not as brave as an adult? Will you still like me as you are now?¡± So I hugged the child who was anxiously mumbling alone. ¡°Big Bunny¡­.?¡± ¡°Rere is the prettiest when Rere is being herself!¡± ¡°Really¡­.?¡± ¡°Yeah! So you can tell me not to go out. It¡¯s okay to whine once in a while.¡± The child must¡¯ve been scared to be hated by me, and that made me sad because the child seemed to grow up so fast. ¡°Okay! I like it if Big Bunny doesn¡¯t go out.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so? Then, because Rere prefers if I don¡¯t go out, I¡¯ll just go once a week from now on. That should be okay, right?¡± ¡°Yup! Buy more bubbles on your way back, okay!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Rere finally nodded with a very relaxed expression. ¡°Okay. Then, do you want Rere to wait for you outside?¡± ¡°No. Just stay in your room, Rere.¡± ¡°Then, Rere will play with the toy from Big Bunny!¡± Looking at the excited child, I rose from my seat and stroked her hair. If she waited for me outside, it could feel especially long even if I returned early. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the child in your care.¡± I made eye contact with the nanny and the maids behind her. For some reason, they looked very enthusiastic, clenching their fists as if telling me not to worry. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, Madam. Leave it to us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Anyway, you¡¯re worried too much about me! Whose daughter am I?! I¡¯m Big Bunny¡¯s daughter! So you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± She even did her best to reassure me, so there was no reason for me to stay any longer. So I ended up heading to the carriage after receiving several wishes to return safely. The coachman looked quite relaxed as well because it was our third outing. ¡°We¡¯ll depart shortly.¡± Even the coachman barely showed any reaction when he saw Luca sitting inside the carriage. Everything became natural as if it should be like that from the beginning. ¡°Alright.¡± The coachman closed the carriage door and slowly drove off. ¡°Going out like this feesl like a date now, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°But I think we should reduce the frequency of our dates to only once a week¡­.¡± ¡°Honestly, I was a little disappointed. If only you had a separate bed, I think we could do a lot more together.¡± ¡°D-Do what more?¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a cutie.¡± He tilted his head slightly and looked at me as if he was having fun. Fortunately, the temple was close, and the carriage stopped before his lips came closer to me. ¡°Madam, I will open the door.¡± ¡°H-Hurry, open it!¡± ¡°Y-Yes!¡± I yelled out of embarrassment, but the coachman mistook it for an order and hurriedly opened the door. Meanwhile, Luca grabbed my hem as if not willing to let me go, but I hurriedly left the carriage. And I saw Isaac as soon as I got off. ¡°Isaac!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± Isaac waved his hand happily and looked more cheerful than before. ¡°I was worried about you, Isaac. But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re doing well.¡± ¡°Um, I-I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Something to tell me?¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go in and talk! A lot has happened recently!¡± ¡°Really?¡± I was wondering what made him so happy and looked about the surrounding area. Sure enough, the atmosphere in the temple was different. To be exact, the number of people rushing to my carriage had decreased significantly. Isaac also walked more freely than before. Thanks to this, I felt more comfortable following him. ¡°So, where are we going today?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going straight to the library.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going to see the High Priest first?¡± ¡°Do we really need to meet someone who is already so busy?¡± I believe that there shouldn¡¯t be any pressure in meeting each other. But I couldn¡¯t help feeling pressured to meet the High Priest every single time. I tried to make myself feel comfortable, but there will always be a strange discomfort within me. After a while, we arrived in the hallway of the library. ¡°So can you tell me what happened?¡± ¡°Since your last visit, the High Priest conducted an extensive purging.¡± ¡°An extensive purging?¡± ¡°Some of the senior priests were demoted to lower ranks, and some were dismissed from their role as a priest or holy knight.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the good news. ¡°Really¡­.?!¡± ¡°Yes. And as for me¡­.I was promoted to senior priest. It¡¯s all thanks to you. I¡¯ve been preparing for a long time but I never passed¡­.¡± He slightly turned around to wipe his tears and then smiled dejectedly. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Duchess. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because Isaac is more faithful than anyone else here. So you deserve this position.¡± ¡°Still, I think even the High Priest changed a lot since your visit last time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s only a coincidence.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unlikely. But if the Duchess said it¡¯s a coincidence, so it must be.¡± Isaac crinkled his eyes into a smile. Just in time, we arrived in front of the library. ¡°In any case, it¡¯s true that you helped me. Once again, I am thankful to you.¡± In the end, I gave a light nod to Isaac, who was persistently thanking me even though I said I was okay. ¡°Then you can show us your medal and enter right away.¡± So I took the medal out of the rabbit pocket and showed it to them. After inspecting the medal carefully, they opened the library door. It was my second visit, but it made my heart flutter. ¡°Now, shall we look for another?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Luca and I quickly walked to the place we were at last time. I wasn¡¯t sure if no one had come in since then or they purposely didn¡¯t touch it since they saw us reading it, but the books were still the same as before. Thanks to that, Luca and I could continue from where we left off. Since then, I had been looking for a long time, but I couldn¡¯t easily find what I wanted from these books. Even after an hour, then two hours passed. ¡°Luca, do you honestly think we can find it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve seen quite a lot of information compared to the last time.¡± ¡°Even so¡­.there are too many books.¡± It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. There were thousands of books waiting to be read. Even each book was made by combining several patients¡¯ diseases, so I wondered if I should read 100 books a day. ¡°Speaking of which, Leona.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t lose hope. Even if we don¡¯t find something soon, I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be a way someday. I believe in you, Leona.¡± He rubbed his cheek against mine. ¡°Leona is an amazing person who can do anything.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really glad that I have you, Luca. I won¡¯t give up easily because you were here.¡± ¡°So let¡¯s find Rere¡¯s cure together!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± And after looking for another hour, I finally put down the book I was reading. ¡°I think this is enough for today. Rere is waiting for me. If it¡¯s too late¡­.¡± As if he understood what I was saying, Luca also put down the book he was reading. ¡°Then let¡¯s wrap up for today. I think I¡¯ve finally found something. There¡¯s some record of disease with symptoms such as sudden collapse ¡­.¡± ¡°Alright. Next time, we will start looking from that one. Let¡¯s return home for today. ¡° And then we left the library. Isaac guided us to the carriage just as we had entered. Then, I told Isaac that we would come once a week now. ***{ /center} By the time we arrived at the duchy, the back of my head was tingling. I had a really bad feeling about it. And just as the carriage entered the main gate, I saw another carriage in front of the mansion. But it wasn¡¯t an ordinary carriage. ¡°The royal family¡­.?¡± The carriage was decorated with the insignia of the imperial family. Which meant¡­. As soon as I felt the carriage slowing down a little, I opened the carriage door and jumped out. ¡°Leona!¡± I could hear Luca¡¯s surprised voice, but I ignored him and kept running. I couldn¡¯t fully trust the Duke yet. How could a royal family visit at times like this, anyway? ¡®Maybe it¡¯s the emperor.¡¯ What if he came to force the engagement? I was engulfed in anxiety and sped up my steps. The Duke¡¯s servants looked surprised when they saw me running in a hurry. ¡°Madam, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Rere!!¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the garden.¡± ¡°Take me there!¡± The servants rushed to the front. Then I followed the servant to the garden and finally found Rere. My daughter, Rere, was furious with a boy. ¡°I hate it when a man is obsessed with me!¡± Chapter 99 Chapter 99 I had no time to recover from the shock before Rere yelled again. ¡°I didn¡¯t like you back then, and I don¡¯t like you more now!¡± The boy in front of her was clearly startled by her remark. His mouth opened and closed repeatedly to show how bewildered he was. And I was even more surprised to see the boy turn stiff as he listened to Rere¡¯s spite. ¡°Y-Your Highness!¡± Both children¡¯s eyes turned toward me at the same time. ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Y-Yeah, Rere.¡± ¡°¡­.Aren¡¯t you the woman from last time?¡± The Crown Prince instantly changed his attitude. He fixed his posture and set an amicable gaze on me. ¡°Yes.¡± At that time, Rere came running and clung to my legs. She hopped in place as if asking to be carried by me. ¡°What¡¯s going on here, Rere?¡± I asked as I lifted the child. Rere wrinkled her nose and dropped the corners of her mouth. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s an annoying situation just now.¡± ¡°Annoying situation?¡± ¡°Yeah! I told him that I don¡¯t want to see him anymore, but the Crown Prince keeps looking for me.¡± Rere brazenly talked about the Crown Prince in his presence, and showed her displeasure. ¡°R-Really?¡± ¡°My name is Eckart.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my name. My name is not Crown Prince or ¡®you¡¯, it¡¯s Eckart. So feel free to call me by my nickname, Eri. That¡¯s what my papa and mama call me.¡± Rere winced as if perplexed by him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you my name, so I hope the little bunny will tell me her name as well. I heard that woman called you Rere or something? Is that your nickname? I¡¯ve already heard your full name from my papa and mama.¡± ¡­His behavior was completely different from when we first met. If he scolded us for being loud before, he was particularly polite to us today. That didn¡¯t mean the Crown Prince actually talked to me. Just like a racehorse that only runs forward, his gaze was fixed on Rere. ¡°¡­Mom.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± But instead of telling the crown prince her nickname, Rere stuck out her tongue in disgust. ¡°I feel sick.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­.He has been doing that for a while now. He went overboard.¡± ¡°But I think you should tell your name since the Crown Prince came all the way here.¡± Rere seemed to be deeply troubled by my words but nodded her head at last. ¡°Okay! But stop bothering me, okay? Don¡¯t even come back after this!¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t guarantee that¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Then, I won¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°I got it. Cute little bunny.¡± I think I could understand why Rere felt sick of him. A child less than ten years old was able to say these cheesy lines so naturally. ¡°My name is Rebecca. Rebecca Petri. Don¡¯t even think about calling me by my nickname.¡± Rere wrinkled her tiny nose like a beast and puckered her lips. ¡°So your name is Rebecca¡­and even your nickname, Rere, sounds cute to me.¡± ¡°Haaa¡­ then I¡¯m going in first. I suddenly feel so tired.¡± ¡°Can we do that? Shouldn¡¯t we escort the Crown Prince out first?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not even a child. Why do I have to escort him out? Can¡¯t he just go to the carriage by himself?¡± The Crown Prince shook his head in a hurry. ¡°No need to do that. I¡¯m an adult, so I can go alone. Don¡¯t worry about me, little bunny.¡± The Crown Prince moved away from us with his eyes closed as if to show his determination. The Crown Prince walked away with his chest out, however, he quickly lost his way and only left the garden after being guided by the attendant. ¡°Haa¡­I seriously hate that guy.¡± When the Crown Prince was out of sight, Rere whined as if she had been waiting. ¡°Did you know that he had been bothering me while you were gone? Hmm? Haa¡­.He¡¯s really obsessed with me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Haa¡­Rere is really tired now. It¡¯s all because I¡¯m such a pretty, lovely and cute daughter.¡± Rere shook her shoulders with a heavy sigh. She then buried herself in my arms. ¡°Was it hard for you, Rere?¡± ¡°Yeaah! I hate it that he keeps sticking to me even after I say no.¡± ¡°You did a great job, our lovely daughter.¡± ¡°Not ¡®our¡¯ daughter.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°You should say ¡®my¡¯ daughter. Because Rere is Mom¡¯s daughter. Say ¡®my¡¯ daughter!¡± Rere smiled so brightly I couldn¡¯t see her eyes then straightened her body to look at me. ¡°But why did Big Bunny sweat so much?¡± ¡°I saw the royal carriage. I must have sweated from running over just in case something happened to Rere.¡± ¡°Really? Geez, Big Bunny is such a fool who only thinks about Rere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m such a fool for Rere. So, is everything alright?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Even though Rere said she was okay, I couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°Did the Crown Prince come alone?¡± ¡°Yeah! My Daddy brought him in¡­.¡± ¡°Haa¡­the Duke again?¡± ¡°Yeah! But he looked perplexed, too!¡± ¡°¡­Did he?¡± ¡°Even the servants who came with the Crown Prince just returned from talking with Daddy inside.¡± ¡°Aaah¡­.!¡± I thought the Duke invited the Crown Prince when I was away, but it didn¡¯t seem to be the case. ¡°Daddy is really mad, you know?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve never seen him so angry. It seemed like he wanted to say something to the Crown Prince, but he held it in.¡± ¡°Aaah.¡± ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go inside.¡± When I was about to go inside with Rere, someone rushed to the garden. ¡°Rere!¡± ¡°D-Daddy!¡± ¡°Ah¡­you were here. Did you just return from the outing?¡± It was an expression that I had never seen before. He seemed to be really worried about his daughter. I was about to say something about the Crown Prince¡¯s visit, but I shut my mouth as soon as I saw his expression.. ¡°It¡¯s such a relief¡­..I was afraid something might happen to Rere¡­.¡± ¡°Why weren¡¯t you here?¡± ¡°I have no excuse for that,¡± His eyes clouded as if hiding something. ¡°¡­Was it urgent enough to leave Rere alone? What were the servants saying?¡± ¡°His Majesty said that he would give me the information I¡¯ve been looking for. I was distracted by it for a moment.¡± He was definitely different from before. His expression was dark as if he was truly sorry for Rere. ¡°Everything is fine, Rere. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t stay with you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Big Bunny came at the right time!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­that¡¯s a relief. Anyway, did you return safely from the temple?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve returned safely every day. How about you? Did you get what you wanted?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve been trying to unearth information for years, but I can¡¯t find it easily¡­.this time, too¡­I could only find trivial information.¡± Rere had been looking at us alternately and reached out her hand and patted the Duke on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be upset. You can¡¯t always get what you want every time, Daddy.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called greed. If you¡¯re too greedy, your belly will burst.¡± ¡°My belly¡­.?¡± ¡°Yup! Just like how Rere¡¯s belly feels like it¡¯s gonna burst after greedily eating three pieces of cakes every day. So don¡¯t be too greedy!¡± Rere jerked her body up and down then stroked his cheeks with her small hands. ¡°Do you get it? Daddy is a good boy, so he¡¯ll surely understand Rere, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I see. Can we have dinner together tonight? I have something else to tell you.¡± ¡°To me?¡± His kind voice was so unfamiliar that made me flinch, thinking that he was someone else for a second. ¡°What are you going to talk about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the information I¡¯m seeking. There¡¯s something I want to discuss with you as you are becoming Rere¡¯s mother.¡± ¡°Yeah! Nice! Daddy and Big Bunny are going to spend quality time together today. Rere will eat well and go to bed early like a good kid!¡± Rere wanted to stick us together no matter what it took, so she looked more excited than ever. Even the Duke¡¯s gaze toward us got calmer than before. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s quickly prepare and have an early meal.¡± ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s go. Rere is suddenly hungry. I got even more hungry after dealing with that troublesome kid. Let¡¯s hurry up.¡± Due to Rere¡¯s endless nagging, we went straight to the dining room even though it was still earlier than usual. The unexpected visit caused the chef to move urgently, so we had to sit longer as we waited for the food preparations, but other than that, it was pretty much the same as usual. Particularly today, Rere couldn¡¯t stop chattering to the Duke, and thus the meal time progressed smoothly until the end. And when the sweet finish was about to arrive, Rere jumped down from her seat. ¡°Uaah¡­I¡¯m full.¡± ¡°Rere. The dessert today is your favorite strawberry cake. Are you sure you¡¯re going to leave?¡± ¡°U-Um¡­Well, I¡¯ll go eat it in my room!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to be in such a hurry.¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s not it! Rere just wants to return to the room. So Big Bunny and Daddy can spend passionate time together!¡± ¡°Passionate time, you say?!¡± I shook my hands strongly at her shocking remark, but Rere furrowed her eyebrows and side-eyed me. ¡°Rere knows everything! I saw it somewhere! Mom and Daddy are sticking close to each other and spending passionate time together! I saw it in the book!¡± Looking at the child¡¯s bright smile, I made a vow to myself. I¡¯m going to inspect just what sort of books Rere has been reading tomorrow. Where the hell did this ¡®passionate time¡¯ come from? ¡°¡­Nanny.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Take Rere to her room. And about the books that she reads¡­.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll look into it.¡± The nanny also seemed a little surprised and picked up Rere in a hurry. ¡°Little Miss. Nanny will take you to your room.¡± ¡°Okay! Big Bunny, Daddy! Have a good time!¡± Rere waved her hands excitedly and disappeared with the nanny. As soon as the child left, the servants placed wine in front of us and left one by one. There was only silence, and I looked down at the empty plate in front of me for a moment. The Duke slowly opened his mouth, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know where to start. I¡¯d thought about keeping it in my heart without telling anyone¡­.but I think I should tell you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Rere¡¯s mother.¡± Chapter 100 Chapter 100 That comment made my hands tremble. ¡°Are you¡­.finally going to tell me?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve had these thoughts recently. People end up dying, so if one day I can¡¯t be by Rere¡¯s side¡­.what will happen then? I¡¯ve been thinking about it.¡± ¡°Why would you say that?¡± He gently swirled the red wine in his clear glass, and began to gulp down the wine in one sitting. ¡°It suddenly crossed my mind. So I thought about telling you as well. Because I know for sure how much you love Rere.¡± ¡°¡­If you haven¡¯t told anyone until now, doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s a secret? But didn¡¯t I make it clear that I hated you¡­.?¡± ¡°I know that you hate me. But I also know that you love Rere more than anything in the world. I know you will never do anything to hurt Rere.¡± His eyes looked sad for some reason. I could see Luca in the Duke. Now it was clear to me that Luca was the Duke. However, I didn¡¯t know why they were divided or why they looked so heartbroken. ¡°Did I, perhaps, misread your feelings for Rere?¡± ¡°No. I think you¡¯ve figured me out perfectly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. If something were to happen to me, at least there¡¯s someone who will take care of Rere.¡± ¡°¡­How can you be this pessimistic as a father? Do you have a chronic illness or something?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then get a hold of yourself. The child trusts you. Don¡¯t think about passing the responsibility to others and get back on your feet.¡± My chest was heavy for some reason. Why was the Duke, who always appeared strong, looking so fragile? ¡°¡­.Unfortunately, I¡¯m not sick or anything. It¡¯s just something that crossed my mind.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s so unlike you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do even if I look like that in your eyes. That¡¯s why I decided to tell you. My story¡­.Rere¡¯s story¡­.will you listen to me?¡± I nodded in silence. But he was silent for quite a while even after asking. ¡°I¡¯m still not sure if it¡¯s alright to talk about this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Since I knew how you felt. Your feelings were completely different from before. ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it for sure. A long time ago¡­..I failed to protect my sister.¡± ¡°Your sister?¡± ¡°Yeah, my younger sister.¡± ¡°¡­.Was she the one who always waited for you?¡± He nodded weakly instead of answering. I got goosebumps hearing his words match with Luca¡¯s. ¡®So I was right.¡¯ ¡°She was a very weak child. So all she did everyday was wait for me.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Lalice Petri. It was my sister¡¯s name. Both my parents died when I was 15. So I became Duke at 15, and my 5 year old sister lost her parents without even knowing what death was.¡± He slowly continued, ¡°Then her health worsened. The child, who had been weak since very young, even had a hard time leaving her room. So I wanted to protect her by keeping her in the house.¡± ¡°So you made something for her¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s the rose garden. It¡¯s the only place where she was allowed to go out. Her health improved a lot when she turned 20. Still, I was anxious at that time.¡± He paused at each word to empty his wine glass. Before I knew it, he finished a whole bottle of wine. ¡°I gave her everything she wanted. I gave her all the books in the world when she wanted to read books, and I brought her different colors of paint when she wanted to draw. I filled my backyard with rare flowers when she wanted to see flowers. Even so¡­.Lalice wanted to get out. She wanted to see the world that she only saw in books.¡± The Duke looked out of the window dejectedly. ¡°She wanted to meet people. It was on me to decide. So I chose to do that because I thought of how stifling it must have been for Lalice, who had been confined in the castle ever since our parents were still alive.¡± ¡°What did you decide¡­?¡± ¡°Just in time, the palace was holding a party. Since her health improved a lot, I thought it¡¯d relieve her frustration of being confined at home. It was¡­.the worst mistake of my life. Lalice went through something she shouldn¡¯t have.¡± My anxiety grew deeper the more he talked about his sister when it was supposed to be Rere¡¯s story. ¡°What she shouldn¡¯t have gone through¡­¡­don¡¯t tell me¡­?¡± ¡°She was gone. I always made sure to keep her by my side, but while I was talking to others for a moment¡­.she disappeared.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°It had only been three- no, five minutes that I turned my head away. But Lalice was already gone, and I couldn¡¯t find her anywhere. It was only the next day that I found Lalice again.¡± After a brief pause, he continued, ¡°She looked terribly haggard, her beautiful dress was torn here and there, she had even climbed up the montain barefooted and returned to the castle on her own.¡± His hands were visibly shaking as he recalled the memories. ¡°Lalice didn¡¯t leave her room for six months straight. She cried and laughed uncontrollably, acting like she was out of her mind. She didn¡¯t even eat properly¡­It wasn¡¯t until six months later that Lalice left her chamber. That day, she said she blacked out after drinking something that a stranger gave her. She clearly remembered seeing someone, but she didn¡¯t remember the people who made her fall unconscious.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°In the end, she said¡­.she went through something horrible that day, and when she saw her increasingly swollen belly, she realized that her memory that day wasn¡¯t a dream at all, and that she was bearing a child¡­.¡± His words sent shivers down my spine. I got an idea of what his sister experienced. My heart beat like crazy even if it had nothing to do with me. ¡°No way¡­.don¡¯t tell me¡­it¡¯s not what I think it is, right?¡± ¡°Lalice was violated by a man she didn¡¯t know that day.¡± ¡°¡­Haa..¡± ¡°I tried to find the guy who violated my sister, but I didn¡¯t do it properly. At that time, I tried to track him down quietly in order to protect my sister¡¯s future and dignity. I could¡¯ve caught that bastard had I made a big fuss back then.¡± A tear fell off his face as the Duke dropped his head. ¡°Even though she endured that horrible experience, my sister sincerely loved her child. She even made a doll and gave it the name of the child that was yet to be born. She patted her stomach everyday and loved the child abundantly. She said she was sorry for not taking care of the child during the early stages of her pregnancy. She always looked forward to the day she would meet her child.¡± ¡°So the child was born¡­..no, what happened to your sister then¡­?¡± ¡°She passed away¡­.after giving birth.¡± My legs were shaking so hard. I finally knew what it was like to have your vision turn black. I hurriedly leaned on the chair when I felt like I was about to collapse. ¡°But I¡¯m glad the child was born safely.¡± ¡°¡­Then¡­the child is¡­.¡± ¡°Rebecca. The child that my sister loved so much is named Rebecca.¡± ¡°¡­Ha¡­¡± What else could I say in this situation? ¡°That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t accept Rere. Just¡­.I don¡¯t even want to see her. Every time I see her, I think of my sister. I don¡¯t even know which bastard violated my sister¡­and I keep thinking of my pitiful sister who died without ever holding her own child.¡± My lips were trembling. I was greatly shocked, and I couldn¡¯t speak a single word. ¡°That¡¯s why I hated her. I left her alone without even registering her birth. I left her unattended with only one nanny taking care of her. For a year¡­.I left her alone.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°But when I saw the child who resembled my sister a lot, I was reminded of my sister¡¯s final words before she passed away. She asked me to take good care of Rere. I only realized that I should¡¯ve hated the man who made my sister suffer, not the child.¡± Now I understood why he was so neglectful and irresponsible. Rere wasn¡¯t his own child. From the beginning, she was the child of the man who took away his beloved sister. ¡°It was all my fault. I was aware of that, but I didn¡¯t want to admit it. I was busy blaming others, and I didn¡¯t think it was my fault that Lalice and Rere turned out this way. Anyway, Leona, that¡¯s what I realized after watching you for a while.¡± ¡°¡­Watching me?¡± ¡°Yes. You showed me what it¡¯s like to love the child. I felt that I should think and move on my own, rather than looking for endless excuses. If it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯d live the same way I used to. Maybe I will send Rere to the Crown Prince.¡± Perhaps what I said actually got through to him and helped him to carry on. ¡°I¡¯m really a fool. I¡¯m sure that would happen if you didn¡¯t intervene this much. You must have a hard time trying to snap me out of it and lose your precious time with Rere. So, thank you.¡± ¡°¡­Why are you thanking me?¡± ¡°Yes. Without you, I would have continued living that way. Blaming Rere and blaming the world for everything.¡± He looked so lonely, and that made my heart sink heavily. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve told someone about Lalice. It reminds me of something. Lalice was as pale as death when she gave birth to Rere and yet never looked so happy in her entire life.¡± ¡°Was she happy?¡± ¡°Yeah. She looked the happiest of all the faces I had seen of her in my entire life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± I said with a relieved expression. ¡°Speaking of which¡­.how old is Rere?¡± For a moment, I was reminded of the High Priest¡¯s words. Rere¡¯s motor skills developed earlier than her peers, and she was taller. ¡°She¡¯s known as a 5 year old, but she¡¯s actually 6. I registered her birth a year after the fact.¡± It was that. The question I had had for a long time was finally solved. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 That was why everything felt strange before. After all, she was a year older than her reported age. ¡°The High Priest noticed¡­.a child who was quite large for a one-year-old¡­so there was a gap with her real age.¡± ¡°¡­I was surprised when you first told me about it. I fired all the nannies and servants who looked after Rere when she was a baby. I thought nobody would discover it.¡± ¡°You fired them all¡­¡± Watching him mumble hesitantly, I was reminded of the old butler that the nanny had told me about the other day. ¡°Why did you fire them all?¡± ¡°Because they knew too much about the child.¡± ¡°Even the butler?¡± ¡°Do you know about the butler?¡± ¡°I knew that he cared about Rere more than anyone else.¡± He showed a lonely smile as he looked outside the window. ¡°I see. Since my parents were still alive, there was an old butler who looked after my sister and me. But every time I saw him attentively looking after the child who had lost her mother, I kept remembering Lalice. He knew so much that I kicked him out, despite the fact that he was entrusted with my late parents¡¯ final wish.¡± Listening to the Duke, I nodded my head silently. ¡°¡­He¡­He knows everything? About this matter, too?¡± ¡°Yes, the old butler knew about this matter. But I forgot that he wasn¡¯t the type to speak carelessly. I used to think I knew everything, but I¡¯ve become so messed up lately.¡± As he revealed his human side, he opened a second bottle of wine. ¡°Aren¡¯t you drinking too much?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Today¡­I wanted to talk to you even if I needed alcohol to do so. But now I¡¯ve told you¡­.I feel at ease.¡± That¡¯s what he said, but the Duke didn¡¯t appear to be at ease. Rather, I saw him holding back from telling everything, and so I decided to find the old butler myself. ¡®I must find that butler.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t recall anything about the old butler from the novel, as if someone had erased my memories. And once again, the Duke spoke. ¡°My heart still aches when I look at Rere. I felt terrible for my sister, who left the world without having lived a proper life. My heart goes out to her. These emotions constantly haunt me.¡± ¡°So toward Rere¡­.¡± ¡°It was even worse when she was younger. I tried to ease my guilt by adopting her as my daughter and bestowing the title of princess upon her, but my heart broke whenever the child reminded me of my sister.¡± Now I understood why he was such a terrible father to Rere. ¡°That¡¯s why¡­even now, it¡¯s difficult for Rere to call me daddy. Perhaps having a guy like me as her father is nothing but bad luck. If only I were dead and Lalice were still alive. Rere would be happy.¡± I slowly drew closer to him. The man crying on the inside had suppressed his emotions for a long time. I criticized him without knowing anything. I hated him without knowing anything. I had no idea such a story existed. I always acted so self-righteously whenever I criticized him, as if I were the saint between the two of us, not caring what he thought whenever he saw Rere. It was so ironic that I laughed at myself. I stroked his head as he sat in silence. Sitting in his chair with an empty gaze, he silently raised his gaze to me and leaned his shoulder. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell anyone. I felt that I couldn¡¯t protect my sister¡¯s last honor if I did. I can¡¯t even tell Rere. It¡¯s just¡­.your mom loved you and she protected you with all her heart¡­.¡± His voice sank even lower today. Had he always felt like this? He went through a range of emotions just like a pupa transforming into a butterfly. And the more I stood with him, the more I changed my mind. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± ¡°I had no idea¡­so I despised you greatly. I despised you because you are a father who cannot raise his child properly.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m the worst in many ways. I failed to protect my younger sister and her daughter.¡± ¡°From now on, all you can do is protect Rere. Because you are the most important person to Rere.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it all the time. You are better than me and possibly more important to the child¡¯s future.¡± A man once again succumbed into sadness and looked so lonely. ¡°A child needs a father more than anyone else.¡± ¡°Can I stay next to Rere?¡± ¡°Of course. Please continue to look after Rere properly. You, as her father, and I, as her mother. Let us raise Rere to grow up healthy.¡± Only then he nodded. It was the first time I saw his fully relaxed expression. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°So you must change from now on. Don¡¯t just say whatever you want and act however you want.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I wanted to say more, but I held myself back because I had heard so much from him today and he was still hurting. There was nothing I could do but talk to him for a long time over a glass of wine. Time passed quickly. I drank a glass or two of wine with him as he told me about Rere¡¯s childhood until late into the night. The next day. I had a hangover because I drank too much wine with the Duke. Even though it was past noon, I couldn¡¯t get up and rolled around in bed for a long time. ¡°Gosh! Big Bunny. Aren¡¯t you going to get up?¡± ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Yeaah!¡± ¡°¡­Mom wants to sleep more¡­¡± Did I drink too much? I lost track of how many bottles of wine we drank because I was too engrossed in Rere¡¯s childhood stories. I had no idea drinking wine would leave me feeling so awful the next day. ¡°But you need to eat. You will be sick if you skip meals.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to do that once a while.¡± Then, the nanny entered the room with a tray of food. ¡°I heard that His Excellency can¡¯t get up either.¡± ¡°Ah¡­that.¡± ¡°No way! Did anything happen to you two last night? So that¡¯s why you both continue to sleep like this?¡± Rere jumped up and down on the bed as if she was excited. As a result, the bed jolted as if there had been an earthquake. So, I rolled sideways to avoid Rere. ¡°Please spare me¡­just for a day.¡± ¡°Are you feeling sick?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± But I knew that if I kept refusing to eat, Rere would keep trying to set me up with the Duke. So I reluctantly rose from my bed. ¡°I¡¯m not sick. Nothing happened between us. We just chatted a bit.¡± ¡°Tch¡­just that? I knew it. You don¡¯t like my daddy, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I shook my head firmly which made me feel more nauseous than before. ¡°Fine. Rere will give up now.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t force you anymore because you still don¡¯t like him after spending the night together! If Big Bunny does not choose Daddy, Rere will accept it.¡± ¡°Do you mean it?¡± ¡°Yeah! Rere is not a fool like my daddy. I don¡¯t want to force you to do things you dislike. So, let¡¯s change my daddy. I think it will be faster.¡± I picked up the child and hugged her tightly in my arms. I was still dizzy and nauseous because of the hangover, but I rubbed my cheek against the child¡¯s cheek. I couldn¡¯t tell her whether she should hate him or not. Because what he said yesterday broke my heart more than anything, ¡°Big Bunny is being weird.¡± ¡°What? Why am I weird?¡± ¡°Yeah, you would have been on my side most of the time, but I feel like you¡¯re not answering on purpose today.¡± I sat her in a chair instead of replying. ¡°Did I?¡± I knew that children are sensitive. For a brief moment, my heart stopped because Rere had noticed the smallest change in me. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re being weird.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m hungry. I should not skip meals just as Rere advised then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. So you should not skip meals, okay?¡± Because of her urging, I had to start eating with Rere. However, my stomach couldn¡¯t handle it and I had to finish the meal without eating much. As soon as I finished eating, I put off all my work and became one with the bed again. Fortunately, the hangover was better by evening. Unlike me, the Duke, who drank more wine, stayed in bed for two more days. He refused to meet with us because he didn¡¯t want to make us worry. He used to avoid people when he was busy with work, so Rere also didn¡¯t look for him. According to the nanny, his fever worsened and they had to call a doctor to his room. We visited him at night out of concern, but he had fallen into such a deep sleep that he didn¡¯t even notice our presence. ¡°Big Bunny. Daddy is weird.¡± ¡°Do you think so?¡± ¡°Whenever I showed up, he used to wake up no matter how deeply he slept, but he didn¡¯t wake up this time.¡± Then, a servant next to him approached us. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. He is sleeping because of the medicine. He couldn¡¯t sleep well because of his terrible fever. I heard he will get better by tomorrow.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± ¡°Are you sure Daddy is okay?¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry.¡± I touched his forehead just in case. The servant was telling the truth because his forehead was hot. I even flinched a bit when my fingers touched his forehead. ¡°How is he, Big Bunny? Is Daddy alright?¡± ¡°Yeah. He does have a fever. If Rere is worried, why don¡¯t you stay with Daddy all day tomorrow?¡± ¡°Um, should I?¡± ¡°Because Big Bunny has an appointment at the temple tomorrow.¡± ¡°Fine! Rere will take care of Daddy tomorrow!¡± ¡°Your daddy will be happy, I guess?¡± ¡°Yup, I guess so. Ha. It¡¯s really tough being Rere! I can¡¯t believe I have to take care of my daddy.¡± ¡°Shall we ask someone else to do it?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯ll do it. It can¡¯t be helped.¡± Rere pretended to wipe her sweat, walked closer to the duke with a smile and kissed him on the cheek. ¡°Daddy, wake up. This is so unlike you.¡± Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Despite her babbling, her eyes were full of worry. ¡°Big Bunny. Daddy will be fine, right?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be awake as soon as tomorrow comes.¡± ¡°I hope so. It really¡­doesn¡¯t suit him. Lying in the bed like this.¡± Rere stroked the Duke¡¯s cheek where she had just kissed him. ¡°Don¡¯t be sick, Daddy. I¡¯ll come again tomorrow, okay?¡± ¡°Rere is so strong. I thought you said you were going to sleep next to Daddy?¡± ¡°I want to, but I don¡¯t want to make you worry.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Big Bunny will be worried if Rere stays here. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t be able to sleep through the night, so I don¡¯t want to worry you. As for Daddy¡­.he¡¯s got a lot of people looking after him, so he¡¯ll be fine!¡± So I picked Rere up.. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. Rere can stay with Daddy if Rere wants to.¡± ¡°No! I know that Big Bunny can¡¯t sleep well without me! I¡¯m more worried about Big Bunny than Daddy. Daddy can¡¯t get sick. He¡¯ll be better soon.¡± Rere came up with her own reasoning and grabbed my hand and dragged me outside. I couldn¡¯t possibly stop the child who had been talking that much. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam. We¡¯ll take good care of His Excellency.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I left the room with Rere after being reassured by the servant. But I didn¡¯t see Luca anywhere today. Luca had always stayed close to the Duke yet was nowhere to be found. I couldn¡¯t ask the servants about Luca¡¯s whereabouts because Rere was with me, so I kept looking around until we were away from the Duke¡¯s room, but it was fruitless. Luca hadn¡¯t visited me since the night I shared wine with the Duke a few days ago. I couldn¡¯t check his whereabouts because I fell asleep as soon as I arrived in the room that day. But it was probably from that day. After that, I waited for him on the terrace every night after Rere went to bed. But until my hands turned cold, Luca never showed up. ¡°Big Bunny. Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You keep looking around.¡± ¡°No¡­I¡¯m just thinking about something.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Let¡¯s go faster. I want to go to bed early and get up early tomorrow! So I can look after my daddy!¡± With a wide grin, the child went to bed right away just as she said. Still, I waited for Luca, who did not appear that day as well. The next day, Rere woke up before me, washed up and had breakfast. ¡°Big Bunny. Get up.¡± ¡°Umm, Rere..¡± ¡°Rere is ready, you see?¡± Rere used her fingers to push up my eyelids when I was barely looking at her with half my eyes closed. But since I didn¡¯t wake up, she got busy kissing my forehead and cheeks. ¡°Hurry up and get up. You should eat something.¡± ¡°Umm.. I will eat¡­you can go to your daddy if you are ready. Didn¡¯t you get up early to get to his room as soon as possible?¡± ¡°Yeah! But I wanted to greet you first. Big Bunny, don¡¯t worry about me. Return safely, okay?¡± When I sat up in my bed, Rere climbed down and cutely rested her chin on both of her hands, as if waiting for me to speak. ¡°Yeah. Rere, please take good care of Daddy. I¡¯m counting on you!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Rere bobbed her head up and down as if she had been waiting to hear it. The nanny approached us and took Rere¡¯s hand. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry about the young lady, Madam. I¡¯ll stay next to her.¡± ¡°Me, too! We¡¯ll take good care of the young lady!¡± May and the nanny both comforted me. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡± ¡°You know that I¡¯ll be fine without these two, right? After all, I¡¯ve been looking after two people. If you make a slip of the tongue, you must correct yourself immediately!¡± ¡°I-I will keep that in mind.¡± Rere screamed with the same expression as usual. ¡°Let¡¯s go right away.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± So by the time I got out of bed, the three people had vanished from my sight. There was a maid on standby after they left, but the room became unusually quiet. Perhaps it was because Rere was not present that I felt the loneliness amid this silence. I hated it, so I quickly got myself ready. I only ate a few bites of bread before hurrying to the carriage. I thought it¡¯d be better to go to the temple quickly and investigate the disease rather than being alone. However, I was surprised to see someone inside the carriage. ¡°Luca¡­?¡± Am I seeing a ghost? I missed Luca so much that I thought I was dreaming, so I pinched my cheek as soon as I got on the carriage. But it wasn¡¯t a ghost or a dream. It was Luca. And he was smiling. ¡°Huh¡­.?¡± Meanwhile, the carriage door closed, and we slowly set off to the temple. ¡°Are you really Luca?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Luca.¡± ¡°Haa¡­I see. I¡­I thought something bad had happened to you.¡± Luca would normally approach me and apologize right away but only smiled silently. ¡°You¡¯re a bit strange today, Luca.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°¡­Why haven¡¯t you visited me at night lately?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting.¡± I hadn¡¯t seen him in a long time. Luca¡¯s eyes, however, were filled with sadness that I had never seen before. ¡°Is there¡­something wrong?¡± ¡°No. By the way, Leona, do you plan to go somewhere else aside from the temple today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to visit the old butler. I don¡¯t know his name, but I know where he lives.¡± I noticed he deliberately changed the subject, so I tried to reply as casually as possible. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the temple first. You¡¯re going with me, right?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll go with you wherever you go. Be it the temple or the old butler¡¯s house.¡± ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t know the old butler¡¯s name¡­do you know, Luca?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Alendra Celter. You may call him Allen.¡± ¡°As expected, there¡¯s nothing Luca doesn¡¯t know. I only heard from the Duke that he left the duchy quite a long time ago.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my duty to know everything. I think we¡¯re almost there.¡± Luca drew the curtain back to look at the temple which was not fully visible yet. ¡°It feels like this trip is always too short. Is it because I¡¯m with Luca?¡± ¡°That¡¯s something I always regret, too.¡± Luca hesitated as if he wanted to say something more, but soon the carriage stopped. ¡°Do you have something to say to me? Luca?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk again later.¡± But why did you look so depressed when you said that? Do you really have time to spare later? A strange anxiety enveloped me, however I had no choice but to take his word for the time being. Meanwhile, the carriage door opened, revealing the temple in front of us. As he promised before, Isaac was standing in front of our carriage. ¡°Welcome.¡± ¡°Yes, Have you been well?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m fine.¡± Then, Isaac took the lead by turning around right away as if there was an urgent matter. ¡°Please follow me.¡± Luca was still inside the carriage when Isaac hastily turned around. Nevertheless, Isaac walked ahead like a bulldozer, and I had no choice but to follow him closely. Fortunately, Luca quickly caught up with us. ¡°Are you in a rush, Isaac?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve become a senior priest and was entrusted with the task of training the new priest. I¡¯m a little busy.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then next time the others can¡­¡± ¡°No. It was my pleasure to escort you. Thanks to the Duchess, I was promoted to senior priest, and this temple has also changed. So I wanted to escort you no matter what!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile at his determined attitude. ¡°Thank you for saying that. It¡¯s only been a few days, but I think your complexion has gotten so much better.¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯m glad to hear that. I don¡¯t think this temple has ever been as good as it was recently. That¡¯s probably why I look this way. More importantly, the High Priest will be grateful if you can schedule an appointment with him next time.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he busy?¡± ¡°Yes, but he really wants to see you whenever you visit the temple.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll make sure to do so.¡± I couldn¡¯t refuse it when he asked me politely like that. ¡°His Holiness also asked whether the Duchess still visits the library these days.¡± ¡°Did he?¡± As we walked through the white hallway, I looked at the garden. The temple that was covered in green exuded a different atmosphere from before, and the number of middle-aged priests decreased significantly. Instead, there seemed to be quite a few young priests, some as young as ten years old. Wearing a priest apprentice uniform and following the senior priest like a chick. They were adorable. ¡°Yes. If necessary, he gave permission to the other priests to enter so they can help you.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll look for it ourselves first.¡± ¡°Ourselves¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ahh.. yes. But please let me know if you need anything.¡± I was wondering why Isaac was looking at me and Luca strangely. ¡°Sure.¡± After some time, we arrived in front of the library. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be waiting here by the time you come out.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re busy, you can have someone else to escort me. Don¡¯t feel pressured, Isaac.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± So I left the kindly man and went into the library as usual. Luca was still right behind me. ¡°Luca.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Should I get their help?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why not? It¡¯d be fine as long as Leona wants it.¡± ¡°Hmm.. should I? I think having a large group of people helping would be convenient, but I¡¯m worried that they¡¯ll find out Rere is sick.¡± Only then he nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true. But I don¡¯t want to see Leona have a hard time alone.¡± ¡°So what do you want to say?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get their help from now on.¡± ¡°If Luca says so, then we¡¯ll do that.¡± As I looked at Luca, who was as calm as ever, my anxiety increased. But then Luca put his hand on my shoulder. ¡°But I¡¯m here today, so don¡¯t worry too much. I hope we can find it today.¡± ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t want to get their help so I can have a date with Luca.¡± But Luca only laughed instead of answering. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Who wouldn¡¯t become suspicious watching him like that? ¡°Luca.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­What are you hiding?¡± ¡°I have nothing to hide.¡± ¡°¡­Lies.¡± ¡°Can you please¡­just think that I¡¯m not hiding anything and act as usual? Please, Leona?¡± Why did those words, so close to coercion, sound especially sad today? ¡°¡­Luca.¡± ¡°This moment¡­is really precious to me. A moment where there¡¯s only the two of us together. That¡¯s why¡­.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± I tried to calm his anxiety and moved closer to him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it so depressingly. Let¡¯s just focus on this moment.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if I wanted to know either. I was worried he¡¯d reveal something heartbreaking. ¡°Leona, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry. Then, shall we start our search?¡± Only then did he move forward with a small smile on his face. He always worked hard to look for books about diseases, but he was especially determined today. ¡®He¡¯s anxious.¡¯ As a result, I stayed close to Luca. I could feel his breath and warmth. However, we had a hard time finding information, as if someone had hidden it on purpose. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange, Leona? There are many records of patients¡¯ diseases, but the majority are organized by symptoms. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ve looked through the symptoms subsequently¡­.¡± Luca turned the book upside down to indicate that he had finished reading. That wasn¡¯t all. Luca swept his hand across the bookshelf as if he knew each time. ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°What do you mean strange?¡± ¡°I remember everything I saw.¡± As expected, this man never failed to amaze me. How could one claim that so casually? ¡°Are you saying¡­you remember everything?¡± ¡°Of course¡­.I know some books have been moved. These two books that were lying down before have now been shelved properly.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°It seems to me that someone is touching them.¡± ¡°I thought they said no one could enter¡­¡± Luca shook his head immediately. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching it since the last visit¡­ I know where it was placed before, so I¡¯m certain someone entered this library. Now I¡¯m not sure what they¡¯re up to¡­however, they may have intended to get in our way.¡± I didn¡¯t think that the people in the temple would try to stop us, but I also didn¡¯t think that Luca¡¯s sharp judgment could be wrong. ¡°I think what Luca said is right.¡± ¡°First of all, just to be sure¡­.¡± He mixed the books he was reading with those on the shelf above. ¡°Leona. If the location of this book has changed the next time we come here¡­that means someone is interfering with us and is pretending not to be in the temple. You can memorize it, right?¡± When I nodded, Luca patted my head gently. ¡°Pretty.¡± ¡°Huh, yes?¡± ¡°You are pretty, and you listen well.¡± ¡°I feel like a child whenever I¡¯m with Luca.¡± ¡°I hope your heart will always be as pure as a child¡¯s. I hope that you can always protect that innocence¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that innocent,¡± I pursed my lips and raised myself on my toes to stroke his hair. ¡°I also hope that Luca can show me his childlike side. Don¡¯t try to be strong all the time, or perfect all the time¡­I hope you can put down all your luggage and freely express yourself at least once.¡± ¡°Maybe¡­someday.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it. I hope to be someone who can make you feel comfortable.¡± I smiled lightly and held his hand. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Shall we call it a day, then? You said that finding more information was difficult.¡± ¡°Leona. You must memorize it, okay? If someone is truly attempting to get in our way, that person would not want us to realize what they are doing. So we might not have another opportunity to check like this.¡± Looking at him pleading earnestly, I returned my gaze to the golden books. If Luca spoke in that manner, he must be very certain. And if what he says is true¡­. ¡®It will be easier to catch the culprit. I¡¯ve heard that only a few people are allowed to enter this place.¡¯ I looked at the books in silence and nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± Luca wrapped his arm around my shoulders at my clear answer. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Luca, who usually kissed me lightly, led me outside without saying anything. I felt strange because he was keeping his distance, and I couldn¡¯t fathom his reason. As always, Isaac was waiting outside the library, and it was not until I met Isaac that Luca released his hand. ¡°Are you done for today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no change in your visit schedule, right?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll wait for you next time.¡± As usual, Isaac escorted us to the carriage. I made sure to give a donation before we got into the carriage and left the place. It should be fine to leave the carriage at the temple since the old butler¡¯s house was nearby. But I didn¡¯t really like the temple. They were kind and gave me many things, but it was too much for me. Unconditional kindness. People don¡¯t treat others kindly for no reason. Isaac was nice to me because I helped him get promoted to senior priest, which made perfect sense to me. However, I had trouble understanding the High Priest who was said to be the owner of this temple. ¡®You only gave me a coin? How absurd.¡¯ So on top of feeling burdened, I hated him. ¡°Leona. I think we¡¯re almost there.¡± In the meantime, we arrived in front of the old butler¡¯s house. ¡°Seems like we¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Yeah, because it¡¯s very close.¡± There wasn¡¯t even a garden as was commonly seen in a mansion, instead, only a small house was in front of me. In contrast to the simple exterior, the windows of the small two-story house were all covered with wooden boards. As if the owner was concerned about intruders. ¡°Let¡¯s get out.¡± My heart was pounding just by thinking about meeting him. So, as soon as the carriage door opened, I jumped down and ran toward the door before Luca could catch up with me. I felt like the old butler must be holding the key to this puzzle when I learned about Rere¡¯s mother and the Duke¡¯s true feelings. My heart was pounding, and I knocked on the door without any delay. ¡°Excuse me?¡± A house without a bell. When I saw it up close, it was so desolate that I doubted any living person could ever live here. There was no sign of people no matter how much I knocked. ¡°Excuse me.¡± It was the same even when I knocked on the door one more time. ¡°Excuse me. If you don¡¯t answer, I¡¯ll barge in. I know you¡¯re inside. I saw smoke coming from the chimney as well.¡± Even when I urged one last time, there was no single sound coming from within. ¡°I think he doesn¡¯t want any visitors.¡± ¡°Old butler. We are from the Duchy. We really need your help.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Rere needs you.¡± I mentioned Rere just in case, but I heard a very small movement from the inside. ¡°Rere is still sick. I know you were around when Rere was sick. That¡¯s why I need your help.¡± To my surprise, the person who pretended to be dead as a mouse no matter how many times I knocked, finally rushed to the door upon hearing the word ¡®Rere.¡¯ Still, he did not open the door. ¡°I¡¯m Rere¡¯s stepmother. And I want to save my child. I need you for that. I need your information¡­.¡± At last, the door opened a slight crack. A man in a black uniform with neatly slicked back hair peered through the door. His hair was white, as if to match the name ¡®old butler,¡¯ and he looked very calm. ¡°N-Nice to meet you, I¡¯m-¡± ¡°¡­Who told you about this place?¡± ¡°An acquaintance of mine¡­?¡± ¡°Are you here to kick me out? This old man just wants to see the young lady¡¯s face one more time, and now I¡¯m not allowed to be here?¡± I quickly shook my head. ¡°No way! I was also baffled that she kicked you out. Rather, I¡¯ve come here to help you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°Please believe me. Rere is sick¡­and no one knows why. Even with the power of her father, the Duke of this Empire, we haven¡¯t found a cure for her. So I¡¯m doing everything I can to help my child recover from her illness. I even went to the temple to see if there was anything¡­.¡± I wanted to tell the situation clearly if I could meet him, but I began to stutter like a fool at this moment. I was afraid that the door would be closed, and I would lose this small hint about Rere¡¯s illness. After that, the old butler peered at me for a long time. ¡°¡­I still can¡¯t believe you. The Duke has been trying to kick me out for a long time¡­¡± ¡°Reg.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°The Duke said he called you that.¡± That night, while drunk on wine, the Duke told me numerous stories about the old butler from his youth. That included telling me about the nickname ¡®Reg.¡¯ The children who lived their entire life in seclusion only opened their hearts to the old butler. And that said children were the Duke and Rere¡¯s mother, Lalice. Therefore, for the first time in his life, the old butler introduced his nickname ¡®Reg¡¯ to the two children. ¡°¡­That nickname¡­¡± His eyelids shook. ¡°He said he regrets it. Everything he did in the past.¡± ¡°Regret or not, it¡¯s none of my business! I¡¯ve never had such a nickname!¡± ¡°What about Rere? Is she also none of your business?¡± Chapter 104 Chapter 104 The butler¡¯s eyes trembled at my speech. ¡°I¡¯d do anything for Rere. I asked for your help because I don¡¯t care who or what the circumstances are as long as it helps my child to get healthy again. But if you say it¡¯s none of your business, I¡¯d better leave now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I apologize for bothering you.¡± He didn¡¯t close the door. But I turned around and returned to the carriage to show him that I meant what I said. If this method didn¡¯t work, then I would stop asking him once and for all. I could drag him out of that house if I wanted. I could easily force him out using the authority of the dukedom, but I didn¡¯t want to do that. If he really loved Rere, if he really loved the duchy, he¡¯ll definitely come out. One. Two. Three. And when I counted to three, someone called me. ¡°Are you the young lady¡¯s stepmother?¡± I turned my head slowly and made eye contact with him. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°¡­How is everybody doing?¡± Now that I knew he was finally interested, I nodded my head. ¡°Everyone is doing well.¡± ¡°Rere is already this tall. She says inappropriate things from time to time, but she¡¯s adorable. You are welcome to come and see us when it¡¯s convenient for you. I¡¯ll inform the Duke.¡± Only then did the butler smile. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you for a little longer. I should not have left the Duchess standing here for so long¡­ Would you like to come in? If it¡¯s okay with you.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I noticed uneasiness in his eyes as he looked around the area, but I ignored it and followed him into the house. The exterior had planks nailed to every window, as if it were a haunted house, but the interior was actually quite nice. A small, spotless, softly lit corridor exuded the elegance of a fancy restaurant. ¡°It must have been hard for you to come alone.¡± ¡°Alone?¡± ¡°Yes. I was a little hesitant to give you entry. What if there¡¯s a rumor that the Duchess went to the old butler¡¯s house by herself? Fortunately, I have confirmed that no one is around¡­¡± So I turned my gaze away from the old butler in front of me. I confirmed that Luca was walking next to me. But why was the old butler speaking as if he weren¡¯t there? ¡°Luca¡­.¡± But Luca shook his head slowly. His expression was stern and sad at the same time, as if telling me not to say anything. So I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say another word. ¡°What did you just say?¡± the old butler had heard my murmur and turned his head. ¡°N-No..just¡­I came here alone¡­.yeah..¡± ¡°T-That seems to be the case?¡± ¡°¡­.Yes.¡± But why can¡¯t he see Luca? Was it done on purpose, or was there another reason? I looked at him anxiously, but Luca only followed me silently. That was exactly what had happened at the temple. Isaac started guiding me even before Luca got out of the carriage. Meanwhile, the old butler came to a halt in the living room, which gave off a warm feeling just by looking at it. It was quite small, but the room had a fireplace and an overstuffed sofa. ¡°I should have taken the Duchess to my office instead of this small room, but this old man has been living alone for a long time and doesn¡¯t have such a place ready.¡± ¡°I like this better. This place makes me feel even more comfortable because I wasn¡¯t even a noble, you see.¡± The old butler froze in place, as if surprised by what I said. ¡°May I sit here?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, of course.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll sit here comfortably.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯ll bring you tea.¡± Clattering noises could be heard after the old butler went to the kitchen. He quickly brought a silver tray with a teapot and teacups and placed it on the table. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it will suit your taste.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. I¡¯m not here to drink tea. I heard the old butler remained living here just to see Rere. Everyone else has left the area¡­¡± ¡°The Duke wanted it that way. After that, he came here and kept urging me to leave.¡± The old butler¡¯s face was filled with loneliness. ¡°Is that why your windows¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± That must be why he was so wary of our visit. ¡°I thought I was safe for the time being, so I was surprised to see you suddenly. I was wondering if you were coming to kick me out¡­¡± ¡°Fortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case.¡± ¡°Yes. You came here to ask about the young lady. First of all, how is the Duke? I was concerned because he acted strangely when he kicked us out.¡± ¡°Strange? Isn¡¯t he always like that?¡± I recalled that Luca said the Duke was acting like a child. ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. He excelled in everything despite being a Duke at such a young age. But his emotional state when he kicked us out was the same as when he lost his parents at the age of 15.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°He looked like an emotionally immature person. The Duke used to be nice before Lady Lalice became like that. He was a very intelligent and warm person. He had the wisdom of his predecessor, Duke Lectus, and the kindness of his mother, Duchess Rediana.¡± After volunteering so much information, he quickly closed his mouth, ¡°I must be talking nonsense. I can¡¯t believe I made such a mistake in my old age. Haha.¡± ¡°Lalice¡­I heard her story. About her being Rere¡¯s mother as well.¡± ¡°Ah, really? Did he really tell you about that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It seems like he has finally recovered from that pain.¡± He got teary-eyed and his voice began to tremble. ¡°I was very concerned after I left that place. The Duke was able to maintain his rationality despite his rough childhood. But after what happened to Lady Lalice, he turned to the worse¡­.and he began to change as if he had become someone else.¡± ¡°I think he has become a normal person now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Just hearing that story makes me feel at ease.¡± The old butler drank his tea quickly, as if trying to hold back his tears. I watched him calmly and slowly took a sip as well. As a result, there was a silence between us. ¡°I¡­want to ask you.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Since when did Rere become sick?¡± I asked him what piqued my interest the most. Heaving a deep sigh, he opened his mouth after a long time. ¡°I recall that she had been sick since she was a baby. Her fever rose so high, and she began to vomit whenever she cried. She ended up in a critical condition several times. She got better as she grew up, but is her condition still the same?¡± ¡°Not to that extent now. But she ran around a lot and got a lot healthier.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯m glad to hear that. I wake up every morning and sit in the brightest room on the second floor until late at night. I waited every day, wondering if the young lady would visit me¡­.¡± Looking at him, I shook my head lightly. ¡°The only time Rere went outside was when she went to the Imperial Palace. The Duke forbade her from going out.¡± ¡°Gasp¡­did she get sick, too?¡± ¡°She was fine at first, but she became ill by the time the carriage arrived at the duchy.¡± ¡°Ah¡­it¡¯s hard to believe that she¡¯s still sick.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried about her. I¡¯m afraid that she¡¯ll keep hurting. I want to keep her healthy, but I don¡¯t see any clues about the disease.¡± The old butler sighed deeply. ¡°I wish I could be of help¡­sadly, that¡¯s all I can remember.¡± ¡°So she¡¯s been like that ever since she was young. But she is better now ¡­.¡± Setting aside the old butler¡¯s lament, I kept thinking about what he said before. I wasn¡¯t sure, but I felt like there was a little clue. ¡®Since she was young¡­..? Her illness was severe when she was young, but she got better as she grew up. What was the reason? Furthermore, it all started when she cried¡­¡¯ At that moment, a ridiculous idea came to my mind. ¡®Does that mean¡­.she will get sick whenever her emotions fluctuate?¡¯ I didn¡¯t think there would be such a ridiculous disease, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything else. My vision went black in an instant. I thought it was nonsense, but my mind kept leading me to that conclusion. An unsolved puzzle. My jaw dropped as I felt I had found the missing piece of the puzzle. I remembered the series of incidents before the child fell sick. And recently, she got sick when we returned from the palace. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have overlooked it when she whined that her body was hot then?¡¯ ¡°Duchess?¡± And as I sat still, the old butler tilted his head toward me as if he were worried. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°Did you think of something?¡± ¡°It seems ridiculous, but it¡¯s also plausible.¡± ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to go back and check.¡± ¡°Can I help you, too?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll invite you to the Duchy next time. If both you and Rere want it¡­.please return to the Duchy.¡± A teardrop fell from the old butler¡¯s eye. ¡°You have no idea how desperately I want to hear those words. Perhaps¡­I stayed here like this because I wanted someone to ask me to return¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll invite you as soon as possible. Could you please wait a bit?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time, why can¡¯t I wait a little longer?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave first. I need to check something right away. I think I can cure Rere¡¯s illness thanks to you.¡± My heart was pounding so hard. I couldn¡¯t hide my excitement. So I bid my farewell and ran to the carriage. As if he was also overjoyed with what I said, the old butler smiled at me. However, I forgot something when I was preoccupied with the idea of curing Rere¡¯s illness and left with the carriage. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 I watched through the window as the old butler continued to wave his hands even until the carriage left, and only looked for Luca afterwards. I was desperate to make sure and rushed to the carriage, not knowing whether Luca had boarded or not, but luckily, he was right beside me. ¡°I got so fired up for a moment that I didn¡¯t check whether Luca was in the carriage or not.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to check where I am every now and then.¡± ¡°W-Well, yes. I got it. I won¡¯t do that anymore.¡± Perhaps I was afraid of hearing anything else from Luca. Because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t make sense of this situation. ¡®Luca is disappearing.¡¯ That sentence alone was able to portray the whole situation. As a result, I avoided him. I avoided his gaze by looking out the window. I feigned ignorance even when he wore a sad expression, as if trying to tell me something. Despite that, Luca called my name. ¡°Leona.¡± ¡°We should hurry up and ask Rere. It may happen when the child feels emotional turmoil, but I¡¯m not sure if it is right to put the child through that situation again. So next time-¡± ¡°Leona.¡± Luca would normally be listening to me, but he was just smiling, still wearing a sad expression. I didn¡¯t like that, so I quickly averted my gaze. ¡°Please¡­.don¡¯t call me with such a sad expression. Luca.¡± ¡°Are you¡­not going to look at me?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. So don¡¯t say anything. Just¡­just act like usual¡­¡± Please act normally. Return to the duchy as if nothing had happened and come to see me at night. Please appear before me and prove that none of the bad thoughts in my head are happening. I had a lot to say, but I couldn¡¯t get any of it out. ¡°Leona.¡± I had to turn my head toward the sorrowful voice that called me. ¡°Don¡¯t wait for me anymore.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? What¡¯s wrong with you today?¡± My heart sank at that moment. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be on the terrace all night waiting for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to wait. I¡¯m going to ask you later. I have a lot of questions, but I¡¯m not gonna ask now. I know Luca will come to see me tonight¡­.¡± ¡°Leona. Don¡¯t you find it strange? The fact that others treat me as if I¡¯m invisible?¡± He pointed out what I thought was strange right away, as if urging me to face the truth. ¡°Yes. I find it very strange, too. Luca definitely exists next to me, and I can touch him like this¡­¡± I knew I touched his hands earlier. So I tried to do it again to make sure, but he evaded my touch. ¡°Luca?¡± For the first time, he avoided my touch. While I froze at his unexpected attitude, Luca lightly put his hand on my head. ¡°Let¡¯s go back first.¡± Funnily enough, I was going to ask why he avoided my touch, but my mind went blank the moment he patted my head. No. I couldn¡¯t get a word out of my mouth as if I was possessed. ¡°Leona will return to the castle immediately. Rere will be waiting for you. And Leona will stay with the Duke because his condition is worsening. Lastly, Leona will return to the room when Rere is ready to sleep.¡± ¡°L-Luca¡­wait¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to do that, right?¡± And I realized belatedly that he was using magic on me. He put his hand on my head and told me what to do. ¡°Please do that, Leona. Forget about me and think about Rere and the Duke only¡­will you?¡± ¡°No, Luca. Why do you sound like you¡¯re going to leave?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. I¡¯m just saying goodbye for now.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s goodbye¡­then Luca¡­Luca¡­.?¡± But why were your eyes so moist? Please say something more. Please say that nothing bad will happen. But before I could say that, I jumped out of the carriage as if I was possessed. My head kept telling me not to go, that I should talk to him more, but my body was already heading to the Duke¡¯s room. I arrived at the Duke¡¯s room even without anyone¡¯s guidance. ¡®Luca¡­¡¯ There was no way I didn¡¯t know that he was using magic on me. His magic was too strong for me to resist, and I was eventually forced to open the door. The flustered maids were about to intercept me, but they abruptly cleared the way for me. After opening the door and entering the room as if I was possessed, I forced my body to turn away and re-open the door before Rere and the Duke noticed my presence. But the door didn¡¯t open as if it was locked. ¡®This can¡¯t be¡­.¡¯ Eventually, I got too impatient and turned the door handle so hard that it rattled, but it still didn¡¯t open. ¡°Big Bunny?¡± At that time. I could hear Rere running behind me after hearing the commotion. So I turned around. ¡°Rere¡­.¡± ¡°Uung! Big Bunny! Welcome back. You¡¯re a little late today!¡± Looking at Rere¡¯s bright smile, I picked up the child. ¡°Did I arrive too late?¡± ¡°No. It isn¡¯t too late! By the way, did anything happen to you?¡± ¡°Huh? No, nothing happened.¡± ¡°But Big Bunny looks sad.¡± Rere placed her hand on my forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever. But your eyes are red.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, they must have gotten red when I scratched it earlier as they were itchy. My Rere is so observant. You even notice that, too.¡± ¡°Rere is quite observant, but not to everyone. Rere is only paying attention to my dear Big Bunny!¡± Rere smiled broadly and pointed her finger at the bed. ¡°Big Bunny, Daddy is a little weird.¡± ¡°Hm? Is he in a bad condition?¡± ¡°He was fine until a while ago, but he suddenly got worse.¡± With Rere in my arms, I walked to his bed. It was true that his cheeks seemed redder than yesterday. So I sat on the chair and touched the Duke¡¯s forehead. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t have a high fever¡± Rere had naturally sat on my lap and suddenly jumped onto the bed. She put her hand on the Duke¡¯s forehead. ¡°Huh? I think he¡¯s alright now!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yup, yup! I was wondering if I should call a doctor earlier!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Luca¡¯s words rang in my ears. He said my presence can help the Duke to recover. ¡®No. that can¡¯t be true.¡¯ ¡°Big Bunny. Are you worried about Daddy?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There are wrinkles between your brows.¡± ¡°Ah, really?¡± I couldn¡¯t tell Rere about Luca. So I tried to lose my sad smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Daddy will get better soon because we are with him!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Yeaah! By the way, Big Bunny. I couldn¡¯t take a nap today so I¡¯m sleepy.¡± ¡°Are you not sleeping in your room?¡± ¡°Daddy will be upset if he wakes up when no one is around. So Rere stayed with him because Rere is a good girl who understands Daddy the best.¡± Watching Rere smile with her teeth showing, I stroked the child¡¯s head. ¡°You can sleep here. I won¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t go anywhere, okay?¡± Rere put her hand beneath the blanket to grab his hand. She also held my hand and closed her eyes languidly. ¡°Sleep well, Rere.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± While Rere laid down next to the Duke, I stroked her head. She must have been tired because she fell asleep so quickly. Inside the room, only breathing sounds could be heard. I¡¯d go out and find Luca right away if I could, but Rere was holding my hand. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Ah¡­are you awake?¡± As if trying to figure out the situation, his focus alternated between me and Rere. ¡°Did I collapse?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve been unconscious for days. Are you feeling alright now?¡± ¡°Yeah. I feel like I¡¯m fully recovered. My condition is better than usual.¡± ¡°What a relief. Rere was worried about you.¡± His gaze turned to Rere, who slept next to him. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± We were silent for a moment. ¡®Can I leave now that he¡¯s awake?¡¯ Even at this moment, I was only thinking of Luca. ¡°It seems like you want to leave.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You keep looking at the door.¡± ¡°Aah¡­that¡¯s not true.¡± Another awkward silence fell between us. I sat there, stroking Rere¡¯s head for a long time. ¡°I know you want to go out, but can you stay for a moment? I have something to talk about.¡± ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± The Duke paused for a long time, as if struggling to think of something to say since he had nothing to say to begin with. He finally opened his mouth after a long time. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. I finished investigating what you asked before. But it was a little strange.¡± ¡°What was strange?¡± ¡°The doctor who treated you.¡± A lot of things happened recently so I forgot that I asked him to find the doctor who treated me. ¡°Oh. Now that I think about it, you finished a little later than I anticipated.¡± ¡°I know I¡¯m late. I was so preoccupied recently that I started the investigation late.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I thought I could find him easily, but I was wrong. Because that doctor was hidden.¡± ¡°Hidden, you say? What do you mean by that?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but pop my eyes at that remark. ¡°It¡¯s exactly as said. I couldn¡¯t find him, and someone was attempting to smuggle him out of the country. I was close to losing him.¡± ¡°¡­Someone¡­.was trying to smuggle him out of the country?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who on earth¡­.?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who it was.¡± Chapter 106 Chapter 106 As his voice faded into silence, he glanced up to read my expression. ¡°So that¡¯s what happened. Did he tell you why he ran away?¡± ¡°No. He has kept his mouth shut as if he was possessed.¡± ¡°¡­.Does he only refuse to talk about me?¡± ¡°Again, that¡¯s not the case. I¡¯d rather if he only refused to talk about you, that way I¡¯d be convinced that you were the cause¡­.but the doctor remains silent, as if he had forgotten all his patients.¡± He wouldn¡¯t do it unless someone higher had ordered his secrecy. But Leona¡¯s family didn¡¯t have a reason to hide and silence him. They had neither a motive nor money required to do that. ¡®Even if they want to use my illness to make a deal with me, they¡¯d bring the doctor to me. They wouldn¡¯t let him run away.¡¯ So what was the reason? I came up with two theories. One was that the doctor treated countless patients and had to flee for ¡®reason unknown,¡¯ while the other was that he truly fled because of me. ¡®But I don¡¯t see the point of hiding my illness and running away.¡¯ ¡°I couldn¡¯t extract any information from him, but I wanted to tell you just in case.¡± He was still trying to gauge my mood, like a terrified big puppy after making a huge mistake. ¡°Are you trying to gauge my mood because you¡¯re sorry?¡± ¡°G-Gauge your mood? That¡¯s not true. I just¡­.I feel it¡¯s such a shame because this wouldn¡¯t have happened if I had found him earlier.¡± So you were indeed trying to assess my mood. I laughed at the man who gave such an excuse despite being so obvious. A smile touched the corner of my mouth, and I was able to forget what happened for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s good that you found him.¡± ¡°But are you really fine?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Your expression didn¡¯t look good throughout our conversation.¡± I let out a small sigh upon hearing his unexpected remark. It turned out the Duke was watching me, too. Just like how Rere was able to notice my condition immediately. For some reason, there was a ticklish feeling somewhere in my heart. ¡°Just¡­there was a problem.¡± ¡°A problem?¡± ¡°So I went to the temple with Luca¡­.¡± ¡°Luca?¡± At that time, the Duke¡¯s voice suddenly turned sharp even though he had been maintaining a calm tone all this time. ¡°Yes. With Luca.¡± Are you going to berate me for going out with Luca again this time? I knew I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned it when the Duke was frowning so hard. ¡°How do you know Luca?¡± ¡°Are you really asking me? Of course I know him because he¡¯s your knight. I¡¯ve seen him many times.¡± ¡°My knight? Is there a knight named Luca?¡± My vision blurred because something I absolutely despised was happening. Things that I had expected became a reality. I had expected this to a certain degree when Isaac and the old butler couldn¡¯t see Luca, not to mention what Luca said in the carriage. But the Duke was with Luca every day, so my hands trembled upon hearing what the Duke said about Luca. ¡°What are you talking about? He¡¯s been around you all this time. I know he¡¯s always been next to you¡­..!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember. Was there a knight called Luca? Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Then how did you recognize his name? What do you mean by that?¡± I desperately urged him as if I was hanging on a thin rope. Instead, he looked at me with a perplexed expression. ¡°I was just surprised you knew my great-grandfather¡¯s name.¡± ¡°Great-grandfather¡­.¡± I looked the Duke in the eyes. I thought he was joking, but he looked serious with a frown on his face. I thought it wasn¡¯t possible, but the Duke really didn¡¯t remember Luca. At that time, I felt like my head was spinning. ¡°Leona?¡± ¡°Ah¡­. you really don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know such a knight existed.¡± ¡°Then¡­.who was the person who was always attached to you? He looked exactly like you¡­.¡± ¡°Was there someone who was attached to me? I think there was someone, but I don¡¯t remember.¡± Why don¡¯t you remember anything? Nothing at all. Why? I wanted to ask that, but the Duke seemed truly to have forgotten Luca. ¡°Forget that, are you alright? Your face turned pale.¡± ¡°¡­I-I¡¯m alright. Yes, I¡¯m alright.¡± It was useless to complain to a guy who didn¡¯t remember anything about Luca. I just forced an awkward smile in the end. ¡°If you¡¯re curious, I¡¯ll look for a knight named Luca.¡± ¡°¡­No. Please don¡¯t trouble yourself.¡± The Luca I knew was already gone. Looking at the Duke, who was unusually gentle today, I shook my head. ¡°Ah. I was going to tell you that today I went to the temple and the old butler¡¯s house.¡± ¡°How is he doing¡­.?¡± ¡°He was wary. But he still missed the duchy. He asked how Rere was doing, and if you are feeling better.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I wanted to say more, but nothing came out of my mouth. I felt listless, stroking Rere¡¯s head without speaking for a long time. I wanted to go out, grab anyone I met and ask them about Luca. I¡¯d like to think that the Duke was sick and forgot about Luca momentarily. ¡°Did you talk about anything else?¡± ¡°¡­.I asked him to visit the duchy next time. If it¡¯s alright with you¡­we can bring him in again as the butler of the family. He was really worried about the duchy and Rere¡¯s safety.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± But that was the end of our conversation. Neither he nor I spoke for a long time. The silent room was only filled with the sound of Rere sleeping. ¡°I¡¯m fine now, so you may go back. The sun is about to set.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± As I was stroking Rere¡¯s head with my head in the clouds, the Duke spoke. Just as he said, when I looked outside, the sun was setting. ¡°Can I leave? But your body¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s much better compared to when I woke up earlier. Usually, I¡¯ll get better with a good sleep. You needn¡¯t to worry since the servants are here. So you may leave. You must be exhausted after going out.¡± The way he spoke so gently with a face that resembled Luca made my heart ache all the more. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be back later. I need to go back and rest a little.¡± ¡°Yeah. Rest well.¡± He didn¡¯t hold on to me or say anything else. The Duke looked at me pitifully as if he was worried about me, and his gaze seemed especially sad today. ¡°I¡¯ll take Rere with me.¡± I picked up the child before he could answer. ¡°Ummh¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the room and sleep.¡± ¡°Mmh¡­.¡± Rere mumbled, perhaps awake for a moment, then buried her head in my shoulder. In the meantime, the Duke got up and opened the door for us. ¡°Then¡­I¡¯ll see you later.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to move yet, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really fine now. You can keep going.¡± ¡°¡­.Rest well.¡± Strangely enough, he could open the door with ease when it wouldn¡¯t budge when I tried earlier. I bitterly looked through the opened door. The nanny and maids, who had waited outside, joined me when I finally left the room. ¡°You haven¡¯t come out for a while, so I thought you were sleeping in that room today.¡± ¡°No, I came out late since I need to watch his condition.¡± ¡°I see. But Madam, you don¡¯t look well.¡± The nanny, still showing her usual courteous smile, stared at me. ¡°Do I look like that?¡± ¡°You look pale. Did something happen?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡­.Nanny, do you know Luca?¡± ¡°Luca¡­? Who is that?¡± As expected, her answer was no different from the Duke¡¯s. I asked the maids in the back just in case, even if I knew their answers might feel like getting shot multiple times. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know about him.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°If you tell us more, we can help you find him.¡± Those who praised Luca recently did not even remember his existence. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding¡­does everyone really know nothing?¡± The nanny shook her head with a frown on her forehead. And the maids only shrugged their shoulders. How could this happen? Can everyone forget Luca overnight? ¡°No one knows him¡­.¡± At that time, Rere, who was sleeping against my shoulder, raised her head and made eye contact with me. ¡°Big Bunny¡­¡± ¡°Rere, are you up?¡± ¡°Mmh¡­hoaam¡­I¡¯m sleepy. But are we going back?¡± Rere rarely woke up once she fell asleep yet opened her eyes wide. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re going to sleep in our room. The Duke¡­I mean, your daddy, is feeling better.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± It was really strange to see Rere waking up just in time. Almost like I was settled to ask Rere the same question, and faced another despair. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Do you remember Luca?¡± I had to ask Rere the question I was reluctant to ask, even though it seemed like I was following a predetermined sequence. ¡°Luca? Who is that?¡± ¡°¡­Ah, he was the knight who used to follow your daddy around.¡± ¡°Was there any knight who followed my daddy around?¡± ¡°He looked just like your daddy¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, though? Rere is smart and remembers people well! But Rere doesn¡¯t know anyone named Luca!¡± When I saw Rere¡¯s bright smile, I was convinced that no one remembered Luca. ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°Umm¡­. He¡¯s a prince in a fairy tale.¡± ¡°In a fairy tale?¡± ¡°Yes, a very handsome and kind prince.¡± ¡°Wow. I¡¯ve never seen Big Bunny talk about a handsome and kind prince! I want to read that fairy tale book next time!¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll read it to Rere, too.¡± I¡¯ll tell you about how kind Luca was and how he worked so hard for us. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I forced a smile because Rere was quick to figure me out. I tried to get myself together and went to my room. Rere fell deeply asleep as soon as we arrived at our room. And just as I did the night before, I stepped onto the terrace after making sure that Rere asleep. ¡°Luca.¡± Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Will Luca show up if I keep calling his name? If I miss him until it hurts, will he show up like a breeze and stroke my cheeks? But nobody remembers him now. ¡°Why¡­why..?¡± Rere, who said Luca was the greatest in the world everywhere she went, the nanny, who always praised him for his kindness, and even the maids. Nobody remembered Luca. He completely vanished as if he never existed in the first place. The items he had given me were still here, but not he himself. I still had the bottle he gave me to help me fall asleep. ¡°Hic¡­Hic..¡± I couldn¡¯t even ask those who forgot to remember. ¡°Why¡­why?¡± My heart felt like it was breaking into pieces. No matter how hard I tried, the tears would not stop flowing. I was desperate to be with him once Rere had recovered. Instead of dating him in secret, I wanted to hold Luca¡¯s hand proudly and whisper my love. ¡°But¡­Luca is nowhere to be found. At this rate¡­what if¡­¡± I¡¯d changed my mind many times, dozens of times even. I felt angry about him disappearing on me like this, but I also missed him. I will hear you out no matter what you say, so please come back. I shouted and shouted toward the night sky. Now I understand what it¡¯s like to be loved, and I know how to love others. Why is the world treating me so cruelly? ¡°Isn¡¯t it too unfair to take so much from people who only have so little¡­¡± Perhaps he was the reason I was able to shine. But I didn¡¯t have the strength to get back up on my feet. I¡¯m afraid that tomorrow will come too soon. ¡°We should have broken up then.Why can¡¯t you even say goodbye, for God¡¯s sake? Just why¡­¡± You should have stayed in the carriage with me a little longer. You should be honest with me. Say that you will not meet me. Say that this is our last time together. Say that we¡¯ll never see each other again. I was helpless as sadness overtook me because we had not really broken up properly. To the point where it seriously messed with my head. I had never known love before, but it came to me one day and became an overwhelming emotion that filled my heart to the brim. When I was with him, I felt like I could withstand a huge wave of emotion. It was quite enjoyable. But now, without him, I felt as if even a small wave would cause me to stumble. I had become so weak that I didn¡¯t think I could go on. ¡°Why don¡¯t you even say goodbye¡­let¡¯s have a proper breakup.¡± I cried my heart into the inky darkness. But nothing would change. He still didn¡¯t show, and I was still lonely. I didn¡¯t even feel this lonely when I used to live without knowing love. ¡°This is not the end. Luca¡­I¡¯m sure you¡¯re trying to surprise me. You¡¯re going to appear out of nowhere. That¡¯s what you¡¯re going to do. So I¡¯m going to wait¡­¡± After confiding my heart to the empty air all night, I left the terrace only after the sun rose. I ended staying up all night. I knew Rere would be concerned if I didn¡¯t get enough sleep, but I couldn¡¯t sleep at all. Then the door opened very slowly. The Duke was the one who appeared. He crept in like a thief and flinched when he noticed me sitting down. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± I was also startled by his sudden appearance. ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t sleep¡­¡± It was hard to take my eyes off him as he drew closer. Funnily enough, he was clearly dressed and behaved like the Duke, but I still had the impression that he was Luca. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°¡­Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°I¡¯m much better than before. Are you worried?¡± I was just checking, but he responded exactly as the Duke would. Not because I was concerned about him, but because I presumed he was Luca. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say it, so I kept my mouth shut. Instead, my expression was filled with disappointment. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Are you here to see Rere?¡± ¡°¡­And some other reason. I want to see you as well. I¡¯m worried if I can¡¯t wake you up. So this is great.¡± ¡°What¡¯s great?¡± Scratching his head, he smiled awkwardly at me. ¡°I have something to say. I was going to do it later, but I¡¯ll tell you now.¡± ¡°Something to say?¡± ¡°Will you accompany me to visit the old butler?¡± ¡°¡­Why there?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to apologize. I was too careless back then, thinking that keeping them away would be the best way to solve the problem. But I¡¯ve realized that¡¯s not the answer. That is why I want to meet him.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°That was me in the past, but I am now who I am. I¡¯m not going to try to deny it. Now I try not to avoid the past and instead embrace it. In order to admit it properly, I must go to the old butler, apologize sincerely and ask him to come back.¡± ¡°So you want me to come with you?¡± ¡°I may act cool, but I¡¯m still a human with flaws. Will you grab me if I attempt to escape again? From now on¡­ I¡¯m going to change. I accepted my sister¡¯s death, and I¡¯m trying to move on. For the sake of my daughter.¡± I only stared at him and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m really grateful. You are the reason why I feel this way.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°All this time, I¡¯ve been acting like a child. Just like when I lost both of my parents at 15. I was weak and refused to admit my flaws, causing people around me to suffer. I felt the same way after losing Lalice. But now¡­ My mind appears to be clearing. I believe I can manage on my own now.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± ¡°Thank you for being by my side.¡± I asked if it was a good thing for him, but he just nodded. Yeah, in this world¡­it¡¯s good that one more person is happy. Now that he¡¯s happy, Rere will also be happy. ¡®Happiness doesn¡¯t go well with me anyways.¡¯ I quickly turned my head to look at Rere. I couldn¡¯t even wipe away my tears for fear of him seeing them. I didn¡¯t want anyone to notice my weakness. Fortunately, he only looked at us for a moment, as if he hadn¡¯t seen my tears, and then slowly walked away. ¡°Then, rest well.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He went out and closed the door. The silence returned, and I sat motionless until Rere woke up. That afternoon. Rere slept in late, possibly because she was exhausted from nursing her father the day before. I had to wash my face in cold water several times in case Rere found out I had been up all night, and in the meantime, Rere sat down at the table. ¡°Big Bunny, hurry up. Rere won¡¯t eat until Big Bunny comes here!¡± ¡°You can eat first.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called unloyal. Rere is a loyal person! Come and sit here.¡± Rere tapped the chair next to her with a bright smile. Luca may be gone, but I still have Rere. I¡¯m not here for love, and everything I¡¯ve done is not to find someone to love. So I sat next to Rere and hugged her. ¡°Rere is¡­all I need.¡± ¡°Yeah! Big Bunny is all Rere needs!¡± My nose was filled with the warm scent of the child. Because of Luca, I may have forgotten what is most important to me. ¡®All I need is Rere.¡¯ The thought made me tear up, but the child¡¯s warmth quickly brought a smile to my face. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± I watched the child chewing her food like usual while only fiddling with my fork. I said to myself that I was okay and it was all nothing, but I kept spacing out like a depressed person. At that time, ¡°Big Bunny.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Big Bunny!¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you eat?¡± I looked down at my plate and realized that I was only fiddling with the food. ¡°N-No, I¡¯m eating now.¡± ¡°Why do you keep eating grass like a rabbit?¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± But I only picked at the salad. Then I stroked Rere¡¯s head as gently as I could, realizing that I had been caught acting strangely. ¡°Is it because today¡¯s food doesn¡¯t suit my taste?¡± ¡°Probably because the chef can¡¯t cook!¡± Listening to that, the nanny and May flinched at the same time. ¡°No, that¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°Then why can¡¯t my Big Bunny eat?¡± ¡°How about Rere?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you like your meal?¡± ¡°¡­Y-Yeah. It¡¯s delicious. I thought you were eating well these days. Could it be that Big Bunny is shedding?¡± Suddenly Rere pouted. ¡°Shedding?¡± ¡°When animals shed, they either increase or decrease their appetite! Big Bunny, aren¡¯t you shedding right now?¡± Her cuteness made me chuckle. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. I must be shedding right now.¡± ¡°Yup, yup.¡± ¡°Perhaps I should ask for dessert later. I feel like I crave it a lot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Meanwhile, the nanny brought a grilled salmon to the table. ¡°The chef boasted that the grilled salmon he made this time was delicious. Why don¡¯t you try it?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°The dressing on top of it seems to be very palatable.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you for taking care of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure. Speaking of which, the portrait is finished.¡± ¡°Ah¡­I forgot about the portrait.¡± I¡¯d been busy for a while and had completely forgotten. ¡°Yes. They said it had just finished. I believe it will arrive soon, so why don¡¯t the three of you, including His Excellency, go see it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± But suddenly someone burst into the room, announcing, ¡°H-His Excellency has collapsed!¡± Rere and I both stood up at the same time in reaction to May¡¯s scream. ¡°Did you say he collapsed?¡± ¡°Yes. I think he¡¯s in bad shape this time. You should hurry to see him.¡± If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 ¡°My Daddy?!¡± Rere scurried from the room after gulping down the food in a hurry. I also followed Rere in great haste. ¡°Wait for me, Rere.¡± ¡°Hurry up, Big Bunny! Rere is really nervous right now¡­my heart beats really fast!¡± Rere had stopped running at my call and continued bouncing around confusedly when she couldn¡¯t overcome her anxiety. So I clasped her hand. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t worry. Daddy is gonna be fine!¡± ¡°I know right? I¡¯m glad that Big Bunny said that.¡± Rere put a lot of strength into her grip, unable to hide her anxiousness. ¡°But Daddy will quickly wake up if Rere comes to see him.¡± ¡°Really? May, how is Daddy?¡± ¡°He passed out and was unable to get up. He passed out this morning. I didn¡¯t tell you the whole story because¡­ he told us not to say anything in case it happened again¡­¡± May¡¯s words trailed off, and she bowed her head before us. ¡°You should have said something earlier.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s because¡­he forbade me from telling anyone because he didn¡¯t want to worry his family¡­¡± May slurred the end of her sentence as she sped up her pace, and we followed her to the Duke¡¯s room. I thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal because he was sick the day before, but May¡¯s pale face made us anxious. ¡®He was okay when he came to our room this morning.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯d fainted after looking fine just a few hours before. I had an uneasy feeling in the back of my mind. Luca wasn¡¯t even available, and I was worried that things would only get worse. So I tightened my grip on Rere¡¯s hand. Then we arrived in front of the Duke¡¯s room. ¡°Daddy!¡± Rere burst into the room without hesitation. As expected, the doctor was already in the room treating him. ¡°How is my Daddy?¡± ¡°As of now¡­there¡¯s no particular symptom.¡± ¡°¡­Then why can¡¯t he get up?¡± ¡°W-Well, yes. I¡¯m doing everything I can to find out.¡± ¡°When did you start treating him?¡± Rere clung to the doctor, barraging him with questions. ¡°I-I think it¡¯s been an hour?¡± ¡°But why don¡¯t you know yet?¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s¡­must be because of my lack of expertise.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a quack, totally a quack.¡± ¡°T-That can¡¯t be. I¡¯m not a quack.¡± Rere climbed onto the Duke¡¯s bed and pulled up his eyelids. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get up when you don¡¯t even have a fever? Are you sleepy, Daddy? Why are you sleeping so silently? I heard you got better yesterday. You didn¡¯t even come to see me.¡± Unlike before, Rere stroked the Duke¡¯s cheek while speaking in a subdued tone. ¡°Stupid, foolish Daddy¡­Get up. Why won¡¯t you get up?!¡± Rere, who rarely cried, burst out crying. ¡°Is it because I always say mean things to you? Is this why you won¡¯t open your eyes? Is it because you hate me? I won¡¯t say mean things anymore, so please open your eyes, Daddy. I heard you got better yesterday¡­Why didn¡¯t you come to see me? Why?!¡± ¡°Rere¡­¡± Rere wiped away the tears she could no longer hold back. Watching her like that, I went to her and hugged her. ¡°Rere¡­¡± ¡°I miss you, Daddy. I promise not to be rude or call you annoying, so please open your eyes. I wish you¡¯d just say you¡¯re fine.¡± Come to think of it, Rere hadn¡¯t spoken to the Duke directly since he fainted. Even yesterday, Rere was sleeping when he came, so I understood her frustration. ¡°Your Daddy is going to wake up soon.¡± ¡°But..But he didn¡¯t wake up. Mom..Mom¡­what if¡­what if something bad happens to Daddy? What if he can¡¯t open his eyes¡­¡± ¡°No way, Rere. Rere is always sick, but your eyes are open right now. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll wake up as well.¡± ¡°I know, but¡­¡± Rere¡¯s cheeks had turned red as she cried with her head raised in my arms. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Hmm..¡± ¡°Do you have a fever? Are you sick now?¡± ¡°¡­A little¡­But it doesn¡¯t hurt as much as my Daddy.¡± ¡°No. Lie down first.¡± I quickly grabbed the child. The doctor pulled back the blanket, as if anticipating the situation. I placed Rere on the bed. Rere¡¯s body grew hotter in that short period of time. When I hugged her, I could feel the heat. ¡°Are you okay, Rere? Hm?¡± ¡°Uh¡­my eyes are a little blurry, but I¡¯m okay. But will my Daddy be okay?¡± ¡°Just think about yourself, Rere.¡± ¡°Allow me to examine her.¡± ¡°I hate quack doctor¡­I hate him¡­I want Daddy to get better. I want to see my Daddy.¡± The child grumbled as she clasped the Duke¡¯s hand. Meanwhile, the doctor quickly treated Rere. ¡°You seem to have a fever again. I¡¯ll give you some medicine.¡± ¡°If I take medicine, won¡¯t I fall asleep again? Rere misses Daddy.¡± ¡°Rere, don¡¯t worry and take your medicine. I¡¯ll wake you when your daddy regains consciousness.¡± ¡°Really? Are you really going to wake me up?¡± Rere stared at me with tears welled in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll wake you up for sure.¡± ¡°Uhm..okay. Give me the medicine. I¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°Our Rere is a good girl.¡± ¡°When Daddy wakes up later, he¡¯ll be worried if he sees Rere is sick. So Rere must recover quickly after taking the medicine.¡± The child scrunched up her eyes in a big smile as she snatched the medicine from the doctor and swallowed it at once. And soon, Rere fell into a deep sleep. ¡°Does the medicine contain a sleeping potion?¡± ¡°Yes, it does. There¡¯s nothing better than having a good rest.¡± With a bitter face, the doctor flicked his eyes between Rere and the Duke. ¡°I might be a quack as the young miss said.¡± ¡°Why¡¯re you saying that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been looking after the young miss for a long time, but I have a feeling she¡¯s only gotten worse.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only natural. You don¡¯t know what sort of disease she has. Rather, it¡¯d be strange if you could cure her without knowing her exact disease.¡± The doctor looked somewhat sad when I said that. ¡°I really want her to get healthy. As a doctor, I was initially intrigued by the disease, but now all I want is for the young lady not to suffer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll get healthy. We¡¯re going to make it true.¡± I wanted to pour out everything I knew, but it wasn¡¯t the right time yet. ¡®It¡¯s no use to blame himself¡­ Rere is clearly sick because of her fluctuating emotions.¡¯ I was even more certain because of this incident. But it wasn¡¯t a normal situation no matter how much I tried to register. It was impossible that a child, who was initially fine, could have a fever that led to convulsions in a matter of seconds just because of her fluctuating emotions. ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± ¡°So please rest assured. I will visit the temple library often to research her disease.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, too.¡± The doctor¡¯s face immediately brightened, as if he found my words encouraging. Perhaps because of this, he treated Rere and the Duke with much enthusiasm, and rose from his seat 30 minutes later. ¡°I don¡¯t know why His Grace couldn¡¯t regain his consciousness¡­but the young lady will be alright.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± When he finally left the room with a small salute, only the sound of Rere and the Duke¡¯s breathing filled the silent room. As I sat still, all sorts of thoughts raced through my mind. ¡°Is that really the cause of your illness, Rere? But everything just fits so perfectly that my assumption can¡¯t be wrong.¡± The way Rere only said mean things and refused to get along with others might be her coping mechanism. Rere might not be fully understood, but she realized such a reaction was happening in her body and tried to suppress her emotions as much as possible. Having grown up in such a twisted family, I came to understand where Rere¡¯s personality stemmed up from. ¡°So¡­What should I do?¡± I wanted to run to the library right away and find out if such a disease exists. What kind of nonsense is this? I hunched my back and buried my head between my legs. ¡°I would rather it was a different disease¡­¡± I assumed it to be much better if that was the case, but I was really driven to despair on this one. ¡°Is it a mental disease, or¡­¡± The darkness flooded in. Now I doubted if a solution really existed. I pretended to be calm in front of the doctor, assuring him that we could save Rere. But in reality, I was unsure. Rather, I thought that Rere would be better off living as a villain as depicted in the novel. If that¡¯s what it will take for her to stop being swayed by her emotions. ¡°I have a lot of things I want to teach you. I want you to see the world through the eyes of colorful emotions¡­ Rere, my baby.¡± The Duke had been lying behind Rere and suddenly sat up as I was lamenting sadly while stroking her messy hair. As soon as he woke up, he made eye contact with me. ¡°Leona.¡± I froze for a moment hearing the voice that was different from the Duke¡¯s. ¡°Leona¡­¡± Their voices were the glaring difference between the two identical people, Luca and the Duke. And unlike the Duke who rarely called me by name, Luca always called me Leona. ¡°Huh¡­¡± ¡°Leona.¡± ¡°Why are you calling my name suddenly?¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s how I always called you.¡± There was another thing that separated the two. The Duke did not use honorifics, while Luca spoke formally to me. Just like now. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to answer me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­.are you Luca?¡± At that moment, I caught his gaze. ¡°This is me, Leona.¡± If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 I thought I must be dreaming. I must have dozed off while petting Rere¡¯s head. That must be the case, because I¡¯d have a hard time registering this situation if it wasn¡¯t a dream. ¡°¡­What a terrible dream.¡± A dream I had because I missed him so much. I must¡¯ve slept without my eyes completely closed because I couldn¡¯t really sleep. So I couldn¡¯t help but smile. If I could, I¡¯d rush over to stroke the Duke¡¯s cheek. ¡°It¡¯s not a dream.¡± Before I knew it, he left the bed and approached me. ¡°¡­If it isn¡¯t a dream, then what is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. I¡¯m back, Leona.¡± My mind was in shambles when I heard the words I wanted to hear the most. I clearly heard his voice, but at the same time my ears were buzzing. ¡°Huh¡­you¡¯re real¡­?¡± I stammered like a fool. It was clear that my legs went to him, and I was in his arms, but my memory was so hazy that I couldn¡¯t tell when I was sinking into his arms. ¡°Leona.¡± But from the moment I heard his voice. ¡°Please look at me, Leona. I missed you so much.¡± I slowly raised my head at his plea. Then I saw him looking down at me affectionately like he had always done. His red eyes glowed with more affection than I¡¯d ever seen before, and his smile was as light as a cotton ball. ¡°Are you really Luca?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Luca, the man who loves you and is loved by you.¡± ¡°B-But¡­¡± He didn¡¯t appear when I cried out for him in agony, but to think he¡¯d appear at times like this, would it make sense to say that he was Luca? I shook my head and buried my face in his chest again. ¡°No one knows you. Even the Duke himself¡­he said he doesn¡¯t know anyone named Luca.¡± ¡°Because Luca did not exist in this world. In the first place, I was getting ready for my resurrection.¡± My frozen heart seemed to melt in an instant. ¡°¡­Are you going to disappear again this time?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Luca said playfully as if to soothe my rapidly gloomy mood. So I hugged him tighter in a hurry. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want that¡­Don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t go, Luca. I feel like I can only be happy¡­when Luca is here with me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Leona.¡± ¡°You¡­aren¡¯t going to leave?¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t have to leave now. Because I¡¯ve become complete.¡± It wasn¡¯t until I heard his firm statement that I was capable of pulling myself away from him. ¡°What do you mean by complete?¡± ¡°First and foremost, I am Duke Ian Petri. My grandfather¡¯s name was Luca. For a while, I used my grandfather¡¯s name because I couldn¡¯t think of another.¡± He sat me down in a chair, knelt before me and made eye contact with me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t tell you everything.¡± I rubbed his cheeks. He did not shy away from my touch, and his cheeks were warm. As a result, my seemingly stopped heart felt as if it were starting up again. ¡°Are you really the Luca I know?¡± ¡°Of course, Leona. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t say goodbye properly before breaking up with you. Otherwise, neither I nor Leona seemed to be able to let go of each other.¡± I wanted to refute him somehow, but I couldn¡¯t come up with anything. Because I knew from the depth of my heart that if we hadn¡¯t broken up like that, I wouldn¡¯t have let Luca go then. At that time, he wiped the tears from my eyes. ¡°Are you crying because of me?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not crying.¡± My tears seemed to swell up along with my overwhelmed feelings. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since someone cried for me. I really missed you, Leona.¡± ¡°It¡¯s indescribable how much I missed you.¡± ¡°I feel the same. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t wait to return. But I was a little late because the Duke was too weak.¡± ¡°¡­Is he related to Luca¡¯s disappearance.¡± Somehow his eyes looked sad. ¡°The Duke is my childhood that I voluntarily forced to stop, in other words, the wrong choice that I made.¡± ¡°Your childhood?¡± ¡°My childhood, yes. My time wouldn¡¯t have stopped if I had truly accepted and moved on from my sister¡¯s death. But I¡¯m a foolish man who couldn¡¯t do that.¡± He spoke softly, but there were emotions swirling around in his voice this time. ¡°Then time started flowing again because you moved on?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. That¡¯s why the Duke passed out. I should have returned to my original form now. The Duke you¡¯ve seen so far is my childish self from the past.¡± ¡°So what the old butler said¡­¡± ¡°He must¡¯ve said that the Duke¡¯s personality stayed the same as when his parents died, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Is that why he said he acted like a child¡­?¡± Luca nodded. Come to think of it, Luca had told me that the Duke behaved like a child. He acted like a child who didn¡¯t want his things to be taken away, so everything he did to Rere made sense to me now. ¡°It¡¯s because he is literally a child. A 15 year old child.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he refused to accept responsibility. He believed that his sister¡¯s death was not his fault, and he felt the same way when he kicked out many people from here.¡± ¡°Is that why the Duke is sick?¡± ¡°Yes, and it¡¯s all over now. My time and the Duke¡¯s eventually overlapped, and now he is left in the past. My time will continue now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not leaving?¡± My hand trembled as I stroked his cheek. Maybe he felt the tremor since Luca wrapped his hand over mine. ¡°Because I¡¯m me. I¡¯m not leaving now. We can be together.¡± ¡°Really? The Duke¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s only a memory. He¡¯s going to live in the past. And I am who I am today. If you hadn¡¯t awakened the Duke, I would cease to exist for sure. The Duke¡¯s time would have stopped forever.¡± ¡°Ah¡­! Don¡¯t tell me¡­?¡± ¡°Thank you for waking me up. You make me aware of our separate minds, the future, and even who I am, and now I could live in the present.¡± What else could I say? I just looked at him silently. ¡°That¡¯s why you said my choice was important.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Thank you for letting my time flow again.¡± He had me back in his arms before I knew it. I could feel his warmth and smell his scent. When I leaned on his shoulder, the tears that I had swallowed poured down like a cascading waterfall. When he vanished, I felt as if my heart had been stripped away. I was angry, sad, lonely and sick. I thought that my life was ruined because of this feeling of love. But my heart was back. ¡°I missed you.¡± My heart was racing as if to tell me that I could live and shouldn¡¯t be sad any longer. ¡°Me, too. I missed you as well. I hoped to return. I wanted to wrap my arms around you and smell your scent. So I¡¯ve been terrified the entire time. I said my goodbyes calmly, but I was worried I wouldn¡¯t see you again.¡± ¡°Luca¡­¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t afraid to disappear, but I was afraid that I wouldn¡¯t see Leona again. For the first time, I wanted to live. As your man and Rere¡¯s father. I really wanted to live.¡± His emotions were only directed at me as his voice seemed to sink into tears This was the only thing I wanted to say. ¡°I love you, Luca.¡± ¡°Can you call my name instead of Luca now?¡± ¡°¡­Ian.¡± ¡°Yes, Leona.¡± ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°I love you more than my life. You are my heart, Leona. I can breathe only when I have you. So..would you like to live with me forever?¡± He pushed me back slightly from his arms and stared straight at me. I had always thought the Duke¡¯s red eyes were deplorable, but Luca¡¯s eyes were as warm as a bonfire. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m a little shameless. I¡¯m saying this because I don¡¯t want anyone to take Leona away from me.¡± ¡°Ian.¡± ¡°If you still need time¡­¡± ¡°Shall we be a proper family now?¡± ¡°¡­Are you really willing to do that? I haven¡¯t proven myself to you yet. Because the Duke always showed you his bad side.¡± I put my hands on his cheeks. ¡°But you are different. I¡¯ve never been loved by anyone in my life. And you gave me the love that I need. You let me live. So let¡¯s love each other properly now.¡± He smiled sweetly as if he was swept by waves of emotions. Then he tilted his head and leaned in slowly. His breath brushed against me, and soon my lips met his soft lips. My heart beat like crazy as if it was my first time. I was so ecstatic as if I¡¯d lose my mind just by kissing him. So I wrapped my arms around his neck. Thanks to this, our distance became even closer. Every little movement was sweet, and even Ian¡¯s breathing felt sweet. Then, ¡°Mmh..¡± We jolted away from each other at Rere¡¯s quiet mumble. As if she caught us red-handed, she was busy mumbling with her flushed face. However, Rere, who kept making a small noise, didn¡¯t show signs of waking up. ¡°I-I think she just mumbled in her sleep, Leona.¡± ¡°I-I think so.¡± We couldn¡¯t even say ¡®shall we continue what we were doing?¡¯ so we just stared at each other in a daze. We couldn¡¯t stand the awkwardness, so we ended up touching Rere¡¯s cheeks at the same time. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°L-Leona, go ahead and touch her.¡± ¡°¡­L-Let¡¯s touch her together.¡± If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Did he just suggest we touch her together? I laughed at his abrupt remark and lightly touched Rere¡¯s cheek. ¡°Next time, let¡¯s do it when we¡¯re alone.¡± A strange feeling came over me as I watched Luca speak with such determination. ¡°The Luca that I know is always careful, though¡­¡± ¡°Do you prefer that version of me?¡± ¡°I prefer both of you. Because you both are my beloved Ian.¡± ¡°You know what, Leona? My heart pounded so hard to the point it¡¯s hard to breathe whenever you said that. Seeing the reflection of myself in your eyes seriously drives me crazy.¡± His pupils and voice quivered like that of a man madly in love. ¡°You see, Leona. There are so many things I want to do for you.¡± ¡°For me?¡± ¡°I want to give you a proper wedding ceremony, and a room that is fancier than that of anyone else in the world. I was irritated many times because of that idiot Duke. I¡¯d always tried to talk him out of behaving childishly, but he wouldn¡¯t listen no matter what I said. I¡¯ve always had the urge to beat up my past self. In fact, I had that thought more than a hundred times.¡± Ian rambled with a bitter smile on his face. ¡°To be honest, I despised the Duke. I¡¯ve always thought that even if he were the only man left in the world, I wouldn¡¯t want to be associated with him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡± ¡°But how can the Duke and Luca be so very different? You both are essentially the same people.¡± ¡°People change. Especially in front of someone they love.¡± Ian sat next to the bed where Rere slept. ¡°Come to think of it, I couldn¡¯t understand why Ian cared so much about Rere at first¡­but now I kind of understand.¡± ¡°He really ticked me off. He wouldn¡¯t even pay attention to the child. He wasn¡¯t going to make an effort to get closer to her. The child would grow up in a flash, and her wound would be deeper than anyone else¡¯s, so I was very frustrated when he did nothing at all. And because I wasn¡¯t involved directly, Rere and the Duke¡¯s relationship deteriorated even further. If Leona wasn¡¯t here¡­their relationship would surely¡­¡± Luca¡¯s eyes were filled with Rere as he slurred the end of his words. He earnestly stared at Rere, yet his gaze looked sad. ¡®Yeah, if nothing changed¡­¡¯ The relationship between the Duke and Rere would have been just as bad as it was in the novel. Even if the novel¡¯s content changed, the outcome would remain disastrous if the family was in shambles. ¡°It¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Leona.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not all thanks to one person, and no one is at fault here. Because we¡¯ve all changed, the future has changed. Rere, on the other hand¡­ There is a chance she will get better.¡± ¡°Did you find a way?¡± ¡°I had some suspicion after listening to the old butler, but it became even more certain now. Rere collapsed again after crying for her daddy who was still lying in bed. She rapidly had a high fever.¡± ¡°In other words¡­¡± Ian stroked his chin with a serious expression. ¡°I believe it is a physiological illness. She¡¯ll become ill whenever she experiences a sudden change in emotion.¡± ¡°Is there such an illness?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m looking into right now. But I¡¯m actually terrified. I didn¡¯t want to go to the temple without you and look for it on my own..¡± ¡°How about going with Rere next time? Rere has always been excited to go out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because the Duke never allowed it.¡± He lightly bit at his lower lip before letting out a deep sigh. ¡°He must have thought it was the right thing to do. If it wasn¡¯t for Leona, I might have done the same.¡± The mood heated again as we locked eyes. But Rere intervened again and again whenever there was a slight change of atmosphere to the point where I thought she had been listening all along. ¡°Uuung¡­¡± I tried to ignore her because I thought she was talking in her sleep again, but Rere gradually opened her eyes. ¡°Umm¡­¡± ¡°Did you wake up, Rere?¡± ¡°Yeah, Rere is sleepy. By the way, Big Bunny. How about Daddy?¡± Rere languidly opened her eyes and was busy asking about her father right after she felt me stroking her head. ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Daddy is awake.¡± Rere reacted weakly at first then opened her eyes wide. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ian rose from his seat and approached Rere. ¡°It¡¯s Daddy, Rere.¡± ¡°Uh, uh¡­it¡¯s true¡­Daddy!¡± Her weak voice quickly disappeared and she jumped into his arms. ¡°Stupid. Stupid Daddy. Do you know how worried Rere was?¡± Despite her best efforts, tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rere.¡± ¡°You should be sorry! Do you know how worried I was? What if¡­ what if something goes wrong with Daddy¡­then I¡­I¡­¡± I quickly approached Rere and stroked her cheek. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to dissuade her from being angry out of fear that she¡¯d get sick again. Even though her cheeks were flushed from the fever, Rere smiled. The child was smiling and crying as if she was happy just to have her daddy regain consciousness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I promise to not get sick again. I¡¯m not going to let Rere down. So, my daughter, don¡¯t cry. Daddy¡¯s heart hurts if Rere continues to cry.¡± ¡°Uh, I! So I shouldn¡¯t cry because it¡¯ll hurt Daddy¡¯s heart?¡± ¡°No, you can cry more. I¡¯m just worried our Rere will get sick.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sick. Rere is healthy. So don¡¯t get sick, Daddy.¡± After crying for a long time, the child touched the Duke¡¯s head. ¡°Daddy is warm.¡± ¡°Rere is hot.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not hot. I¡¯m not sick. I¡¯ll be fine if I get some rest. But I won¡¯t sleep. I¡¯m worried if Daddy will disappear or get sick.¡± ¡°Then what should I do so Rere won¡¯t worry?¡± As soon as he asked, Rere dragged the Duke¡¯s arm toward the bed. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep together. I won¡¯t have to worry if the three of us sleep while holding hands!¡± Rere led the Duke to the right side of the bed. He had to lie there even though he had only just woken up. However, Rere did not stop there. ¡°Come this way, Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Are you asking me to lie down, too?¡± ¡°Yeah, because Big Bunny is weak.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Our Big Bunny listens very well today. How pretty.¡± ¡°Is Mom pretty?¡± The child scoffed at my phrasing and pouted. ¡°You like to be praised so much that every time I did that, you¡¯d smile like a fool. You¡¯re not pretty, Big Bunny. So don¡¯t get a wrong idea and just lie down here.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± It felt like we were back to how we used to be. I listened to Rere as we lay in bed and gazed at Ian. He smiled at me as if he were the happiest man in the world. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You two are weird.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Big Bunny never smiled at my daddy! But I just saw you smile at my daddy! What happened while Rere was sleeping?¡± So people weren¡¯t lying when they said that children notice the changes in their parents right away. ¡°Huh? What do you mean..?¡± ¡°You¡¯re very suspicious, though¡­?¡± Rere narrowed her eyes as she switched looking alternately at the two of us while lying on the bed then clapped her hands. ¡°Ah! I know!¡± ¡°W-What?¡± Did she know that we kissed while she was sleeping? Or maybe she woke up at that time? Rere always snored when she slept, and I didn¡¯t recall that she made that sound earlier. While my head was filled with all sorts of thoughts, the child plopped herself on the bed. ¡°You must have hated Daddy so much, Big Bunny.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°You smiled at him, or should I say, you smirked? That¡¯s exactly what you did!¡± ¡°Ah¡­that¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Rere doesn¡¯t want Big Bunny and Daddy to get along. Big Bunny should marry a very cool guy. Daddy is so not attractive, after all.¡± Meanwhile, Rere lay down in the middle and put our hands on her belly. ¡°I know everything.¡± ¡°Rere.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Do you still think Daddy isn¡¯t attractive now?¡± ¡°¡­How would you be different now? Are you saying that you¡¯ve become more attractive because you just woke up? But you¡¯re exactly the same, though?¡± ¡°¡­I-Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah. So don¡¯t even dream of being together with Big Bunny. I¡¯ll smack your butt if you ever do that.¡± Ian frowned as if he was treated unfairly and smiled despondently, but Rere was determined. ¡°But Daddy did something really admirable, Rere.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°He planned a family trip.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± ¡°He suggested a family trip because we¡¯d never done one before. Do you still think Daddy is unattractive?¡± Rere quickly moved her hand to cover her mouth. ¡°Umm, well, you¡¯re not admirable just for that one act!¡± ¡°He also planned to hold a wedding ceremony for me.¡± ¡°What? Oh my god. Did you really do something admirable?¡± ¡°Yes. He said he¡¯d make a big room for me.¡± ¡°¡­No, that¡¯s really bad.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Gosh. He¡¯s giving you room because Big Bunny is so innocent. He only has an evil intention of separating Rere and Big Bunny. That should be a minus point!¡± Although she said that, Rere was smiling brighter than ever. ¡°But I¡¯m happy that Daddy has changed a little.¡± ¡°From now on, I will do my absolute best for you, Rere. That includes you, Leona¡­ I¡¯ll devote my entire life to you both.¡± ¡°Look. Daddy is weird. But I like the weird Daddy, too.¡± ¡°Mom also likes your weird daddy.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t! Mom belongs to Rere. Daddy will hurt you again because he¡¯s a fool. So please don¡¯t like my daddy, okay?¡± Instead of answering, I kissed Rere on the cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll do as Rere says.¡± Ian scowled at me, but I only smiled back at him. Because we had truly become a family. If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.