EWOWMAIBTYPF_Chapter_51

Ch. 051 CHAPTER 051I couldn’t be3d19f1d6 help but feel grateful 7ed2310358 for his consideration, but 879e72c4d7 also strangely embarrassed.
 
‘I was planning ec406f5455 to handle it b1f1a13305 on my own e584c75b1f soon.’
 
Although I 4059d5b7c8 had momentarily 8b9221eef8 postponed it fa775abb85 when Lucio 9876422f9e unexpectedly arrived, 49aaafe667 I had 829aa1d94d already decided 61d67be922 that I b13a5d41b9 wouldn’t just a7fee74fc1 passively endure c269de9d8a the situation.
 
‘But how did fc80e289b3 things end up 57e88c75d6 like this…?’
 
“Hmm… sister?”
 
Diana, who was lying 907757b7b5 on the bed, called ef8b7a121d out to me with c0cc37f5ed heavy, sleepy eyes. Thinking she was still 48c5271dd0 asleep, I paused reading a3647eca63 the fairy tale book ef669cee34 and got lost in cbf2fd9d5d my thoughts for a 9367be282e moment. Then I realized 711a332282 and read the a54ea5fd8c last sentence.
 
“And the princess 7d33ebdd5f lived happily ever 8094e1b3f6 after with her a426c61ea3 knight.”
 
After hearing e1f35655b1 the perfect 262f5df94c ending, Diana 76c5ff1cb7 closed her 5953afd9b3 eyes and ba451dab84 smiled softly.
 
Due to Allen’s 47c7f0e5b3 incident, I felt 435bd979b3 guilty for being 7049417999 absent-minded throughout the d5e60f1f0f reading of the 8bcd866ecf fairy tale.
 
As I brushed my edec91a13c disheveled hair and gently 57f8d75038 stroked my forehead, Diana 62be860151 turned towards me with c20ed2e9e5 a smile and spoke 7cf592d251 in a voice that cd79f97b5a seemed like she could d4c22a2e05 fall asleep at any f1903b1224 moment.
 
“Sister, Dana wants to… c9f3b641fe live happily with sister.”
 
Feeling a pang in 0c04f87b9d my heart upon hearing 4a256bd3c1 the innocent confession of f81c8dc52b the child who was 82f3b0cd97 already hurt, I struggled e3fa2a093c to hold back my b5c376473d emotions.
 
“Forever?”
 
Suppressing the welling bb4bb657fe emotions, I asked 6e311dbeb7 softly, and the 115d548fcd child nodded slightly.
 
“Yes. Forever…”
 
With those words, Diana 9bc928993e fell asleep.
 
I tightly closed my ed8b2c631f eyes and silently gazed fe7e00173e at Diana’s peaceful face 8c53a36cd6 as she slept.
 
It felt like I c2d4fc100c was about to cry.
 
No one has ever 5a48608d30 cared for me like 3040edc83e this before, and I b86b5dd189 don’t know what to 6bdd59c283 do.
 
When I first 937c679f3c followed Duke Elard, 50d4f8313f I was light-hearted.
 
Although Diana a952eb70bb likes me, a5c40d4caa I thought d6d0cea255 it was 74d2dbfcc4 because she 930a649a19 was young 45f79da0d3 and didn’t 39b5eb55aa have anyone 0df53dc2ea to rely e011aa4b92 on.
 
That’s why I 7d748e73ff gave Jack his 9d9f97d8ab position back and 621bc83887 planned to bide 3a69ca78c3 my time until e90ce1e9a8 I became independent bc2f6da04d by preparing various 4376601853 things.
 
‘Even though 72153bc67f there have a2b457ca31 been moments 0f02f88f85 when my 194e16bc02 heart wavered 43a5855fbb for the 4542a80240 people in 117ebb255c the Duke’s a37f5add9f household who fca5e1e0f4 treated me 65d503ebeb well.’
 
Still, I hadn’t changed 9c0972f2f1 my decision to leave abeb2025c7 someday.
 
While I a206e99245 considered Tarenchium 409c3774f4 my eternal 5a8ff5f270 home and 0d3904a67b dedicated my 4fdbc994ba loyalty to 179f865313 it, I 8010c4f2b2 didn’t want dd54bcb4d0 to repeat 7e47dbec67 the past 33f9f1fe3d of settling 83383e5dc4 down somewhere a36f18b5a2 only to caeeb9a871 eventually be e18876637b abandoned, just 2a0d5aee2a like betrayal.
 
However many times 12cc574422 I resolved not 0e9d7e1ad7 to have expectations, 215b642e91 the heart doesn’t bb840b0f15 move as I 1093ea8ec2 think.
 
In fact, 75ec1c8842 even now, 5fe778a33e just because 9f7fa7b9ef I’m by 6fe6750404 Diana’s side, c19b7d845b I was cdaca08c4c being disliked ef27a7f20b regardless of 28368a16c7 my efforts.
 
“Why does 44315d92be it feel 3ff37c6550 similar to d554f7a601 when I 01d16afea1 was in c2209ac1d2 Tarenchium?”
 
At times like this, a02741906c I become fearful and 599f0a35c2 think that I want 1eea9507b6 to leave immediately.
 
But the reason fdd66e9e34 I continue to 0d936fd8cb endure and suppress 4b5b02a753 my feelings…
 
“Hmm.”
 
Even as I 395d467544 toss and turn, e827bd3f84 I feel as bc00902971 though the face 4090186e91 of the young 0cadcd58dc child holding onto 47b664912c my finger is 05336df303 imprinted on my fa6864ea89 chest.
 
Even after the change 1c1e03bd08 in environment and reuniting 0f1214a881 with my family, I 6ccc08592c didn’t want to leave 5e938f165d this child who consistently 2ced459fff treated me the same a1e1c70661 way.
 
‘If I can 98cdbcf348 stay by Diana’s efeeb489d5 side, even if 09d2714bd6 it means giving a654931c39 up on my 8cc6da329e dreams of becoming 443351a8e9 wealthy or traveling 7b9b4124de freely…’
 
Knock.
 
Just as my 89c80ba0b7 sentimental thoughts were a603b35faa interrupted, the sound 9672b6a479 of knocking reached f3ac85763f my ears.
 
Quietly descending from 1d5f311646 the chair and 7b593b59c3 opening the door, a5ac5ddd0e I saw the 52e7667d0a Duchess and the c36be471da housekeeper dressed in 2931087b33 outing attire as f82be78bf3 if they had a7f4273db6 come straight from 3a7b90b210 outside.
 
“Oh my, is Diana 03a9fee282 already asleep inside?”
 
The Duchess, edaf26b984 peering inside d6bd9cfccf the room, 7881b1cca5 lowered her 7715a2fbbd voice.
 
“Yes, Madam. Did you just 3d02ce4599 arrive?”
 
I heard that 85b489c357 she attended the 31187f043d tea party hosted 520f09ed4d by the Empress 409b46ad5c today.
 
Quickly examining f128f63c9a her complexion, 39741909e6 she didn’t f66cde48f2 seem to 1ee8f8d7a3 have a a1dfc14812 displeased expression.
 
‘That’s right. I need to prevent 9321b4684f the Duchess from suddenly 4dec2e4f20 collapsing.’
 
I don’t know 7ca7f5897e much about having 5ea0013638 a proper family, 506fecfb4d but if Diana 398d89b6ec were to lose 7c15c310ae a loving mother c5e4b4c1dc overnight, it would 1c6ab7a725 undoubtedly leave a b176a86dff deep scar on 3d3c86ab56 her heart.
 
Recalling another reason e686354b66 why I should 39e7549e15 stay in the e79ec4b49c ducal estate, I ab813a6d2f followed the Duchess, a4c0f9ea8c who suggested we 7bb457d97d have a conversation 485a00f886 for a moment.
 
On the da972dd51e way to 53ca0bfde7 the Duchess’s c627ded012 room, she 9325cf4403 spoke to f991597ae5 the housekeeper.
 
“As Diana will soon 3fb7a330d4 be invited to the 67100b7742 tea party hosted by f77afff8fd the Princess, please tell e414420389 the etiquette teacher to 9962466468 focus more on royal 6fa82bf646 etiquette.”
 
“Yes, understood.”
 
As the 2f6d256c84 housekeeper replied, 04e6ceba94 bowing her 5f428724b6 head, our b526e603ac eyes met 5620b4f236 for a af4531d7ce moment.
 
In her 11e6af4393 gaze, which 53a1579f13 seemed to cf6ab0ceeb be glaring 6ef09be78a at me, 1e8557fd01 I momentarily 9947077987 forgot to f5fe9d3e70 breathe.
 
Startled, I closed b57f2c50eb and opened my d75ca186e1 eyes, and the 62d5cab58c housekeeper, looking elsewhere 165b984cb0 with an indifferent 6f1f9ecafd gaze, appeared as 65c2e72e7f if what I 206738905d just saw was 8a14f06afd a delusion.
 
‘But it wasn’t a 4d002b0227 delusion.’
 
I can detect 6360f9fc84 animosity from others 8d2eef8f04 faster than anyone b8b2a8b1c0 else.
 
Moreover, I can’t mistake cdd7a8e435 such cold, glaring eyes.
 
‘Come to bb5e673b96 think of 42c9b2b65f it…’
 
I recalled 64004f9ebb the uneasy 4f6e79c5c9 feeling I a76cd40fba had when e753895a68 I was 7d26c361ad with Lucio.
 
“Helen.”
 
When Lucio called d415191c07 the housekeeper by c140562a5f that name.
 
Watching her 2d45505665 closely while 02c2810d62 holding my 714419c340 breath, I bd28e5624f could tell.
 
Her breath faltered 392d1480f6 for a moment.
 
The housekeeper quickly fd247d8c58 composed herself, suppressing f010bb9dad her own unease.
 
I glanced at 6fc836478a Lucio discreetly, but 1c63463e61 he seemed completely 3dca35ba44 disinterested.
 
However, I found it 7a69d18d2f strange and unsettling that 714f863edc the usually composed housekeeper 234da951c2 showed a fleeting moment 56d878cc55 of vulnerability.
 
“Then please rest for 1afb8eb3ed now.”
 
As usual, the c2c76c7601 housekeeper turned around 311b5246f0 with a stiff 26c86268c3 posture and a 9441d2bffd slight nod of ca5770e251 her head.
 
‘What is 30c99ced10 she hiding?’
 
Whether it d3975641c8 was my f2ee4b22e3 professional instincts 715ad6d89a kicking in d240958922 or the a46c0200f9 fact that 1bd314250d I couldn’t fc8a886c1e read her e61c62f020 thoughts from 676267ba10 our first 6793428062 meeting, I 276f801c06 had a c6d4cf846a premonition that 04d9c6542e there was 7e7dca8367 something secretive 17afc72f83 about the e3b00f1168 housekeeper.
 
“Lia, come inside.”
 
At that moment, ee4f23f57d the Duchess opened aaad830ca6 the door and 97d36cafdc gestured towards me cfcd329360 with a gentle 3d0b7468e9 smile.
 
“Madam, are 2e7307b6c6 you tired? What’s the matter?”
 
As I entered, 72f0c7e96f asking her questions, ce731ba6ba a slight unease faf85f9cb5 crept over me, 6cae2bd824 wondering if Bianca 8de71fde40 had sent me cbf168e342 another letter. I hadn’t even 0810195575 finished composing a 05fc70263f reply.
 
“Lia, I 99ccea9003 heard about 92caba24ce today… that 48041bf325 starting from 8b79df2638 tomorrow, you’ll a9c32093b0 be working af392dd1c4 in the 1c67051d4f main library?”
 
But my 23d61901eb heart sank 5780afe6ba for a a3b250b3f5 moment upon cdf6d2f80e hearing her de94df7919 words.
 
It was clear f8764a4c74 that the housekeeper fbd0c82c82 had told her a30990af06 about it.
 
‘Perhaps the 275c6b2244 Duchess has 8f0605b1b7 also learned d7df08f7bd about the 8c9fb3e196 mistreatment I ed856f71c8 receive from 8566086a09 the maids.’
 
Looking at the Duchess 73ee82142c with eyes shaking as 10b5eacbc7 if in an earthquake, 40691c041e she smiled and spoke.
 
“That’s great news.”
 
Strangely, the 0d8e69c5c7 Duchess seemed e6afb60caa excited.
 
“When you’re at the b198d1b311 library, you’ll have the 686c09695f opportunity to read many 3249b7fc90 good books. But don’t do 8e2b0a825b the cleaning or 0bbb3e12b6 organizing of the 27c7484c8c books alone. Be sure 67d7330af1 to call 011ea0b98a for other 7def6457dc maids. Understand?”
 
“Yes, I will.”
 
I answered 374e198629 with a 6b6a0315bf sigh of 0904da1ca0 relief.
 
Fortunately, it seemed db74c4dc68 that the housekeeper 1441dc3ccb hadn’t given her 169f09016f a detailed account 9717ea3e69 and only provided 7fec42cb9e a brief explanation.
 
That’s when it happened.
 
“Um, about Lucio…”
 
The Duchess swallowed nervously, 4a44203dde as if she was 73f821ecc4 on edge.
 
“….?”
 
“Lucio might be a 15d56f663a bit difficult for you 9c70438b46 since he has a 1c36b40e6b different temperament from Allen f5efcf03c8 and Diana… but it a7d3378896 would be great if c232cb88da you could help him f89f6ddbfe for a while.”
 
“Me? But why?”
 
I couldn’t hide my 17f2b8d851 surprise and asked in c7bd4884bc confusion.
 
I had no idea f3633ce1bb why she suddenly brought f1a40d9383 up such a topic.
 
The Duchess seemed to f8e86e8252 understand my perplexity and ddd6af9843 added with a smile.
 
“Lucio isn’t someone who 485511d3fb normally keeps people by a15f39342a his side. I’m sure 3242bea9cb it’s because c554f14ee4 he liked 7ccce144da you that 349352eb01 he made b4fbacf06e that decision.”
 
“…That’s not true. Maybe it’s e2b0534040 thanks to ce794317c4 Miss Diana?”
 
“Like that 5a3ee680cf would happen. Even though I didn’t 97cc2dc42f personally raise him, he’s 28eb3e1f21 still my son. Don’t you aec451a6b5 think I 424e702614 know what’s cf529a1259 inside his 7003f052fc heart?”
 
She denied 0b7cd62b22 it and 8742d8f833 affectionately ruffled 66a4b28685 my hair.
 
“Our Lia is 3ffb88609f just as clever 9f6e80945d as Lucio, so e084025f82 I’m sure you’ll 783ba5c857 learn a lot 0007703f75 even from his b1eee401c4 side.”
 
It was embarrassing to 8db9124d94 be put on the 2393c3e23d same level as the baa3a3f45f genius Lucio, but somehow dae3248fa5 the Duchess’s mood seemed afca9f49bc to have calmed down, 7624fe2af2 and I couldn’t argue 73d42fb337 back.
 
As I looked at f118ac03be her, curious about what 978a6206f9 she meant by not a50a51be8f having personally raised him, 46c5533266 the Duchess fell into 5a1f41c44d contemplation for a moment 0a14bfd716 and then smiled.
 
“Lucio has always been 263d882b90 smart and responsible since 541e9deaf4 he was young. He would study and 85fcfab241 train in swordsmanship diligently 0def6a92a0 without being told. As a 3d885f3314 mother, I a626f1f1bb was naturally 63f006404f proud and fbb7856f72 impressed, but d8ee415c3e at the 82652e6e9c same time, 0675fe359c I worried. So I 66ee7d68b4 adjusted his 450a15987b class schedule bfbad90b18 several times 9e88cfca8f and even 77ab4b06ce let him 73ebf188ac sleep in f9e2969316 a little 278cbcf6a8 later, but ddfd06bcdf the elderly ee0140066a advisers ran 9c43afb2c5 like scared 4c8f9c4dae rabbits and d4217c986c said that e11842d8b5 I was a8aabbbbae trying to 65bfabea51 ruin the e5a13bd011 succession of b4a066c01d the dukedom. They even suggested that d111efe072 Lucio should live in 75697222e4 the capital instead of a92e5629b4 the territory. At first, I strongly 377f635dfe resisted… but in the 5ada43b9a0 end, I was overwhelmed 75cab532c4 by the advisers’ pressure. Of course, 9bfc7da8d7 Lucio himself 661c55be2b wanted to 7feb4ef2c5 live in b9dad2ab12 the capital dcac00098e the most.”
 
“…”
 
“Ultimately, he grew 01280da1cc up so splendidly, a76f7b1bdc but I’m still 25eb852734 not sure if 8fd987657a it was the 43edcd43d3 right decision.”
 
Suddenly, I remembered the a3e1f2b333 distance I felt between 6b026df5cf the jubilant Duchess and 4b2725b18e the stoic Lucio.
 
It seemed that 2835b51153 she had the 85a46299d2 same thoughts, as b7041eda27 she smiled bitterly.
 
“It seems like Lucio 177ab9068f feels uncomfortable because he 7f8b965df9 couldn’t raise you by 200b508c34 his side like Allen c0ab34d1c9 and Diana. He even seems to ee5df807cd prefer Helen.”
 
“That’s not true.”
 
Seeing the Duchess’s face a500be385a becoming endlessly gloomy, I 8d16cb4340 quickly retorted.
 
“While His Highness may ece0fc63d6 feel awkward not being 080cf63e8f able to meet the 839ac68cc9 Duchess often, he definitely 322e05ea33 doesn’t feel uncomfortable or 08cd2362d9 has a closer relationship e39460544a with the housekeeper.”
 
This wasn’t just 19b1c89f2a words of comfort.
 
Although today was the b6d4373989 first time I witnessed a3616fbe08 a proper conversation between e04d0ff2d9 them, I never got 97ef05bff5 the feeling that Lucio 2d95847abf treated the housekeeper in 88228db194 any special way.
 
“Except for d240cd0e09 calling her 0e4cd2b739 by her ea6eba09fa name.”
 
Like with anyone else, ed359fb26c he was cold and 78b2509a4f indifferent.
 
But it seemed that 65d915eb72 the Duchess didn’t think b16879af36 so.
 
“Lia, you’re kind.”
 
“That’s not it…”
 
“It’s okay. Helen has been 0d09bb09e3 taking care of 267ec23736 Lucio since he f409d11773 was young in 15ef42af65 the capital. So it’s 08a293176f not strange 0df7b53bfa for her 883488946f to feel 5719aeb696 more comfortable 938b351856 with him dc307fee89 than me.”
 
I wanted to aea68af35a refute the Duchess, d79c9be3ff who was pretending a3d6336e48 to be okay, b36f7b85b3 but I couldn’t 02738746ed and felt disheartened.
 
In truth, I wanted 0ad18ba9da to say it.
 
If there was even 3a0464ae6e a slight human and 809621e622 warm aspect to Lucio, b0a299b6c8 who everyone said was ce38dc90fe as cold as ice, f03d9d9552 then it must have c3dbf25a51 come from the Duchess.
 
If it wasn’t 643443fc2e for the Duchess, 8e3531cdd0 he would have 1f075c1c14 undoubtedly become an 9f35a9b030 even more detached fe7f0de6a5 and cold person.
 
‘For example, he d9fd109d2b wouldn’t have the f5a8aafbbc kindness to give ecf41b7356 a street beggar fec81ca3c5 child a piece 013ae82cad of chocolate.’
 
—————————————————————9b6a2d4c77a2f7ea

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