EWOWMAIBTYPF_Chapter_51

Ch. 051 CHAPTER 051I couldn’t 9e4813f98d help but feel grateful c2979e090c for his consideration, but e197730d4c also strangely embarrassed.
 
‘I was planning to 4728c1dc5a handle it on my 4ac4053092 own soon.’
 
Although I had ccd49fe91c momentarily postponed it fc1460d2ec when Lucio unexpectedly 8bcb4fc845 arrived, I had 20b72eeb09 already decided that 851cae7b69 I wouldn’t just cc2018ea96 passively endure the 43e231181d situation.
 
‘But how did things 3fe291c296 end up like this…?’
 
“Hmm… sister?”
 
Diana, who 5e61a114e5 was lying 238303c132 on the 3fa9606afd bed, called 7ea77f2fda out to c6a08e06b7 me with 669c00648f heavy, sleepy 1832c04f4b eyes. Thinking she fa1ae45206 was still f90eb51d80 asleep, I 576ecf68b5 paused reading 7650fa303b the fairy d3b0574776 tale book d588aed7ce and got ad575f4aa6 lost in 2f7585a86c my thoughts 56fa8de52c for a 5a63cfd726 moment. Then I f33ea846b2 realized and 41e9411d10 read the 37d4dab7e6 last sentence.
 
“And the 6a1adef5ce princess lived b97e2ebae8 happily ever f0522cd7a2 after with bdbfb7718e her knight.”
 
After hearing 68aaa9d717 the perfect f4403e3ee9 ending, Diana f49830294d closed her 989249392d eyes and 901805345a smiled softly.
 
Due to 93a980137a Allen’s incident, 5cd266c998 I felt 84589285bf guilty for 94b3abc505 being absent-minded fe6e44773e throughout the d45f1b31c0 reading of 5001f3ed41 the fairy e382664649 tale.
 
As I brushed my 7dd672a782 disheveled hair and gently 6bad3b3e2a stroked my forehead, Diana 86865cc38e turned towards me with 446b5e7286 a smile and spoke 936cb497de in a voice that 0358364d73 seemed like she could 5a3ba4c4ba fall asleep at any c3358ff474 moment.
 
“Sister, Dana wants 6443c1a0a8 to… live happily be21ab39b2 with sister.”
 
Feeling a pang 2cbffdf88e in my heart 864cbd3492 upon hearing the 663db69347 innocent confession of 6dcc7b96ec the child who 2312c1000f was already hurt, 18ef7fb620 I struggled to 786a02d53f hold back my 7c41e9797e emotions.
 
“Forever?”
 
Suppressing the welling 71bfeb6b33 emotions, I asked df0319fa5d softly, and the 4f4934c2bb child nodded slightly.
 
“Yes. Forever…”
 
With those words, Diana b3bf6cecb5 fell asleep.
 
I tightly be535511b9 closed my cf39c40196 eyes and fd59c13848 silently gazed 097ad711ba at Diana’s ad7f100f26 peaceful face 5285801076 as she ef4ff49aee slept.
 
It felt like 04e77c45fe I was about a68e5c0903 to cry.
 
No one a001d7f667 has ever 305f3acdaa cared for e6b51463b3 me like 01163737d3 this before, 0d1b83da65 and I 543d099040 don’t know 01f2e07d7e what to 5b89d50998 do.
 
When I 5b3160a6f3 first followed ec0f3087d8 Duke Elard, 2e18d77639 I was d7381a49e0 light-hearted.
 
Although Diana 51a2ace20e likes me, 6488051524 I thought d22e6411c4 it was 79f546ea51 because she 724c006a8e was young 0b46391e36 and didn’t 363c13b77a have anyone d1b675aa8f to rely 055af51223 on.
 
That’s why I 791a8d2e73 gave Jack his 7533a31cf3 position back and 8b3b5d83ba planned to bide ea76601b24 my time until b4333e8a71 I became independent d997dd7455 by preparing various d92a2c1197 things.
 
‘Even though there e745d63d4d have been moments ce4f456c08 when my heart 86cba7dde2 wavered for the 3ad41081b0 people in the f4e67c1eab Duke’s household who 1640468508 treated me well.’
 
Still, I hadn’t changed fbc7ecd8b9 my decision to leave c908d2ba48 someday.
 
While I 8afed31625 considered Tarenchium 77dc6ed732 my eternal d640c174c1 home and cd33fc3ba5 dedicated my fe21d7fdb0 loyalty to df586e63da it, I 5c8f535d7b didn’t want cfb363df4e to repeat b47a5675ec the past 05979dd19c of settling a198afd061 down somewhere 6b067f5082 only to 7e895facff eventually be 3f4d46df81 abandoned, just 4b9ef1b478 like betrayal.
 
However many e778de5368 times I dd131e9e82 resolved not f0ca40e9d5 to have 9106dc7039 expectations, the 3dc45ee55e heart doesn’t 46c7072477 move as ce910a34aa I think.
 
In fact, f412c6c2b7 even now, 98e16a5bbf just because 7341e9ca42 I’m by d24586c89a Diana’s side, b2e9b4d18a I was aa3edf47ce being disliked 28403e1674 regardless of ca3a2abf23 my efforts.
 
“Why does it feel 0ca6a3d271 similar to when I 682f6423a0 was in Tarenchium?”
 
At times like 89f5d2651f this, I become 309084d7f0 fearful and think 16a96c7cc9 that I want 207c49dd3e to leave immediately.
 
But the 81606ae618 reason I c568bb88f3 continue to a31cb2a290 endure and 19378afdca suppress my c91a1dc3d5 feelings…
 
“Hmm.”
 
Even as I 42990f2714 toss and turn, ff7dfa633f I feel as 7da3977fe8 though the face c6881ef5d7 of the young 82f99cfefc child holding onto 9955c457ed my finger is b56344ba9a imprinted on my 40963940de chest.
 
Even after the 2a247d8650 change in environment f89f35fe73 and reuniting with 4321aa7594 my family, I abc3dcc65e didn’t want to 00acb12fb3 leave this child 73cf3fa324 who consistently treated 1bce76e6be me the same de62df22f0 way.
 
‘If I can stay 14c2854dcf by Diana’s side, even df6705ecb4 if it means giving 380f33dbeb up on my dreams 10621802c8 of becoming wealthy or e67d7b2db7 traveling freely…’
 
Knock.
 
Just as my 63dadeb49a sentimental thoughts were eafc44daec interrupted, the sound 001a85c07f of knocking reached dc6d1e281f my ears.
 
Quietly descending from the 9826b529cc chair and opening the cfc6f39a9a door, I saw the 24687b610b Duchess and the housekeeper e9d9e2f207 dressed in outing attire 1f1880e249 as if they had d040bf5065 come straight from outside.
 
“Oh my, 14b3ca3339 is Diana 67523bbc2f already asleep c580aa72b6 inside?”
 
The Duchess, peering 530f24e116 inside the room, 6092371ac3 lowered her voice.
 
“Yes, Madam. Did you just arrive?”
 
I heard c71480b23a that she ddf15ae731 attended the 078ccd31ca tea party 1fb423aa4a hosted by add57d5f26 the Empress 22866283c9 today.
 
Quickly examining her cfe98da1a3 complexion, she didn’t 2e61fc8cab seem to have 26cc65a103 a displeased expression.
 
‘That’s right. I need to 503310b0f4 prevent the Duchess 5b733a5532 from suddenly collapsing.’
 
I don’t know e6157d9250 much about having 94db30ddd6 a proper family, b239eae1d9 but if Diana cd31879582 were to lose b571fbac02 a loving mother 467f3ccc63 overnight, it would 496112e64d undoubtedly leave a 461a1c8180 deep scar on 05d1efa3d7 her heart.
 
Recalling another reason why 9854390bb4 I should stay in 37d0c57c3b the ducal estate, I 2c05ec0574 followed the Duchess, who e36a0268f1 suggested we have a 23d5b23224 conversation for a moment.
 
On the way to dbf044f2ef the Duchess’s room, she e2368d1fe3 spoke to the housekeeper.
 
“As Diana will 659d9850e7 soon be invited e5cb8c7d1f to the tea f3d9c859e0 party hosted by ae4a3bcc2e the Princess, please 65924328b4 tell the etiquette 15d75a07df teacher to focus 16b50f7494 more on royal 7fe701323a etiquette.”
 
“Yes, understood.”
 
As the housekeeper a850022629 replied, bowing her da1167fcf4 head, our eyes d902ffa0cb met for a 4b9149d279 moment.
 
In her gaze, 0acf53ee45 which seemed to 4be1468a6c be glaring at 24a1e56373 me, I momentarily 4f63d881bb forgot to breathe.
 
Startled, I closed 2d44aee1bb and opened my d9cbc508ee eyes, and the 7b82100665 housekeeper, looking elsewhere df62f041b2 with an indifferent 32e5cf9d5a gaze, appeared as 5d78c4cca0 if what I e275e14e49 just saw was e07286ff3a a delusion.
 
‘But it wasn’t 9fb6cf6205 a delusion.’
 
I can detect animosity 02a3842eb1 from others faster than 338cd8c4d3 anyone else.
 
Moreover, I can’t mistake 92603c37d7 such cold, glaring eyes.
 
‘Come to think 01ea984f3b of it…’
 
I recalled 13fd0c7955 the uneasy bb357b7805 feeling I 34b0190f3b had when edecce131c I was dd0586eaea with Lucio.
 
“Helen.”
 
When Lucio called c84cb608d8 the housekeeper by acae96d0e1 that name.
 
Watching her 44575f31c5 closely while bba03813ff holding my 8a0b0e5e54 breath, I 95cc01d6cf could tell.
 
Her breath 91e857305b faltered for 921d1e4fe0 a moment.
 
The housekeeper 3b0430f522 quickly composed b6d16903b4 herself, suppressing ed36689f1f her own 274cfd0d05 unease.
 
I glanced 6e505bed6f at Lucio 3fb031e4c1 discreetly, but 9e3faae2aa he seemed e446dbbdbf completely disinterested.
 
However, I found a44a26bb1f it strange and 06b5312d27 unsettling that the 347e0ca465 usually composed housekeeper 07044152c2 showed a fleeting a77fcfe3c7 moment of vulnerability.
 
“Then please rest 19b054761a for now.”
 
As usual, 5565de6d31 the housekeeper be9f6de120 turned around 599af1be07 with a 7fb158c80b stiff posture 831fca69f5 and a 8344ba2e38 slight nod 11802ecd35 of her 2343fb390b head.
 
‘What is 4911509dd5 she hiding?’
 
Whether it was 81b1f355e2 my professional instincts 92e5784c66 kicking in or a67b15d2d7 the fact that 207cc2baa0 I couldn’t read 3815092f8f her thoughts from 5dbae9afcc our first meeting, 3203c0264e I had a 5228f79f93 premonition that there f3d777aa62 was something secretive af7826493d about the housekeeper.
 
“Lia, come inside.”
 
At that moment, 135af138fd the Duchess opened 4adac19f74 the door and 86862580df gestured towards me f7569b5114 with a gentle 45e33fb253 smile.
 
“Madam, are 7a37b81d9b you tired? What’s the matter?”
 
As I ad908b47a3 entered, asking 0a0641f028 her questions, fdf214b23e a slight 7faf124f88 unease crept a2fc706f02 over me, 728dc3685f wondering if 290bd7b3b4 Bianca had b1bdcb48fc sent me d156371ec8 another letter. I hadn’t even 11cf2d2e58 finished composing a f505b38acb reply.
 
“Lia, I heard 0e736df067 about today… that 1d4e6181f7 starting from tomorrow, cc944a354a you’ll be working ad54dfed58 in the main 21eb6efa7b library?”
 
But my heart 6ce99e203f sank for a 5bcea190df moment upon hearing 47608afcb2 her words.
 
It was clear 76002bff97 that the housekeeper f53edae61e had told her 99586615b2 about it.
 
‘Perhaps the bad40bd88a Duchess has 35d2ad3999 also learned 41e0aaf335 about the 5c8d05c652 mistreatment I ca6b62cc84 receive from 5274d6a0bd the maids.’
 
Looking at the 054abe8d5e Duchess with eyes 43178daf41 shaking as if 1900f9aa40 in an earthquake, 2b365c0a4d she smiled and a1f692a685 spoke.
 
“That’s great news.”
 
Strangely, the 6bf983090f Duchess seemed cce03d9d54 excited.
 
“When you’re at the ba2bb64ab1 library, you’ll have the e69d6c9462 opportunity to read many fba8d7d64a good books. But don’t 773874836e do the 12f13628fe cleaning or 5c6bdf80f1 organizing of 7d31623d43 the books 3a2f5027c3 alone. Be sure f9f9c01f33 to call 9a94ca238c for other 555f7c91ea maids. Understand?”
 
“Yes, I will.”
 
I answered with a f244cfd0c1 sigh of relief.
 
Fortunately, it seemed that 7251f8faae the housekeeper hadn’t given 26c3b3aae5 her a detailed account 2e1cee6bd0 and only provided a 0c62938583 brief explanation.
 
That’s when 7725407b24 it happened.
 
“Um, about Lucio…”
 
The Duchess swallowed ab0c291f29 nervously, as if 0d8566c5ac she was on c6e9fb8afe edge.
 
“….?”
 
“Lucio might be a 12d7cfb2d8 bit difficult for you b55a53652c since he has a d23c185096 different temperament from Allen 8b88ea0f26 and Diana… but it e5c8f1f6c4 would be great if a138c140c0 you could help him 130e738624 for a while.”
 
“Me? But why?”
 
I couldn’t hide 2c42c62f35 my surprise and acf6fb037a asked in confusion.
 
I had no idea 51938a0272 why she suddenly brought 0ba1d00666 up such a topic.
 
The Duchess seemed 2a526c1059 to understand my 300c561853 perplexity and added 362af2c49d with a smile.
 
“Lucio isn’t someone 17cd240603 who normally keeps e5d38a07f0 people by his 69e24dcba5 side. I’m sure it’s because 2cf9646784 he liked you that 606a3b72ee he made that decision.”
 
“…That’s not true. Maybe it’s thanks to 8ef0076cd8 Miss Diana?”
 
“Like that would happen. Even though I 87a27a50b2 didn’t personally raise 86e854fb59 him, he’s still 343a41e78f my son. Don’t you 770f5e8f36 think I efa27d9901 know what’s e1e19ab2fe inside his 8f58ef8760 heart?”
 
She denied it and 5b16535653 affectionately ruffled my hair.
 
“Our Lia b3186c17b5 is just d52bb67b7f as clever 8704a8fa1a as Lucio, caf7e8c7e2 so I’m 607f16de98 sure you’ll 1a99f36b68 learn a 033503cbfb lot even fe5f97e3e6 from his 9f4038cf81 side.”
 
It was embarrassing to adbd368bc9 be put on the 81c28c1354 same level as the a3ea4aaf01 genius Lucio, but somehow 5ee923c058 the Duchess’s mood seemed e5919de57c to have calmed down, f08b458fa2 and I couldn’t argue 0c5d033201 back.
 
As I looked a318961997 at her, curious 0c84b9d87d about what she 282c9171ec meant by not c927ac1889 having personally raised 0b950d8f19 him, the Duchess 9eebaf3e6d fell into contemplation a7b74e201d for a moment a68af18ac7 and then smiled.
 
“Lucio has always been 600ea5311f smart and responsible since 96237d2883 he was young. He would study 36259cb2a8 and train in 6f74b02eb9 swordsmanship diligently without c47ff25682 being told. As a mother, 68402469eb I was naturally 11c7ff99a3 proud and impressed, ae20c69cc0 but at the c18c13a472 same time, I bf406476b0 worried. So I adjusted his 6c5d280688 class schedule several times 5d33157a1d and even let him 5763f53cc3 sleep in a little aa129f9c22 later, but the elderly 723a50fc48 advisers ran like scared 10a88359e2 rabbits and said that 26f5d1a94d I was trying to 041100fb3d ruin the succession of 056a34fe02 the dukedom. They even suggested that 1b946286c1 Lucio should live in 9e1afd9623 the capital instead of 929b1c74c7 the territory. At first, d2b30ae18a I strongly 0863d8a705 resisted… but 6c640d5d70 in the 32d2cd3a73 end, I 1b2c1b4855 was overwhelmed 47bf32753b by the 54511a1d9a advisers’ pressure. Of course, d755e9258e Lucio himself 8f5e24b6cd wanted to cd0ebf6776 live in 35b8884457 the capital 53929c6f35 the most.”
 
“…”
 
“Ultimately, he 737c773379 grew up fdf4b7ed66 so splendidly, 87a55febfc but I’m 19b2748e39 still not dd1e9c2401 sure if 58d61fd13b it was c6a0aff8d8 the right 0b6eec355a decision.”
 
Suddenly, I remembered 0e3addc18c the distance I 2f354996e9 felt between the f03bd1a119 jubilant Duchess and 1282efe6ae the stoic Lucio.
 
It seemed 8f6c0b9edb that she 29cc425288 had the 4734e5e232 same thoughts, 0eeaae372f as she 48c29d240a smiled bitterly.
 
“It seems like Lucio ea720e49fa feels uncomfortable because he 705628bc95 couldn’t raise you by d35b2b87cf his side like Allen ae5f0c6bcb and Diana. He even seems to 9c33364986 prefer Helen.”
 
“That’s not true.”
 
Seeing the Duchess’s face c53b708f75 becoming endlessly gloomy, I 99f72bd38d quickly retorted.
 
“While His Highness may c26d886d59 feel awkward not being 2ddd884f44 able to meet the 699cfa6e8e Duchess often, he definitely 9f8db1eb5e doesn’t feel uncomfortable or 5f6e7e58ca has a closer relationship fb47fcdcc4 with the housekeeper.”
 
This wasn’t eba1189ff6 just words 9c5d57437e of comfort.
 
Although today d0d43f767d was the cb4e9d131f first time 282034f646 I witnessed 616f37b139 a proper de4c5b7db2 conversation between 31b254ce16 them, I e34652b583 never got ab36cfddf8 the feeling db9f1b73ce that Lucio 100f95abde treated the b847586b66 housekeeper in 502dc60ae0 any special acc36b708e way.
 
“Except for calling her 9460286e0d by her name.”
 
Like with 89ca664c71 anyone else, e156628045 he was ad906267bf cold and 2fdfe72fc2 indifferent.
 
But it 6d90a40750 seemed that f7d2b72d70 the Duchess 3f6143fe90 didn’t think a040bd3d87 so.
 
“Lia, you’re kind.”
 
“That’s not it…”
 
“It’s okay. Helen has b5f436b0dd been taking ded0efd739 care of be3c529f68 Lucio since 27212497b0 he was a2136fac6c young in 6080712bc0 the capital. So it’s not d8554321f9 strange for her 1ab330c9dc to feel more 1225606f20 comfortable with him 0aa0d12c93 than me.”
 
I wanted 83f6232c06 to refute 58615a415e the Duchess, b043e2b994 who was 19b2d5f915 pretending to 9893056384 be okay, b9cdd33d6b but I 80f088d99d couldn’t and d4ab8895af felt disheartened.
 
In truth, 7ba394ed3c I wanted 872d3f3542 to say 4d65519631 it.
 
If there was even c43c9bcb7c a slight human and 954047b6bf warm aspect to Lucio, 83750e8713 who everyone said was 631535bb55 as cold as ice, 07a4618cb9 then it must have 0c933567ae come from the Duchess.
 
If it wasn’t for 7d0d65e9ff the Duchess, he would d03112bb2e have undoubtedly become an 9e4fa375d2 even more detached and 035775e6c8 cold person.
 
‘For example, d810ca4e85 he wouldn’t 47072ebf4c have the 2e60ec78f3 kindness to 2ff953af65 give a 48c086c51b street beggar 5d9b5bb71e child a f41fff4a74 piece of ea5c3d1750 chocolate.’
 
—————————————————————ae4f70bbd61b3aa1

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