EWOWMAIBTYPF_Chapter_46

Ch. 046 CHAPTER 046“Diana went, a17d46d2a8 didn’t she?”
 
Nicholas looked puzzled d1e31e3d91 at Lucio’s words.
 
“Really? You’re telling me fc8d15f75f to go?”
 
“If you e52e652d42 stay too 214582080c long, who 2343b17fa3 knows what 23c2278865 might be 33cdba2940 said.”
 
“What! I obviously came to 7ddf761c78 visit a friend’s house.”
 
“We had enough conversation a634ba41c8 on the carriage ride 64b5a71b9b here, I believe.”
 
Nicholas shook his head, b9aaac6bec suppressing a hollow laugh 350f69fbc1 at Lucio’s cold expression 1c04c4dc42 that seemed as if 31adb3f706 not a single needle a9c74d3a90 could penetrate.
 
He momentarily mistook cefa1f108e the relaxed demeanor 21f56aa416 as if in fffaee35d3 front of his 6ac09accc8 younger siblings.
 
Luccio was 9e3430d7b5 always like b5feacc50d this.
 
* * *
 
I looked 9b1a62312b at myself 32967707ec with vacant de4243ea46 eyes in e0d9853933 the mirror. It’s still 012ac5bb9d a face c3a3f66ceb different from df6191a1f5 the portrait 2305712109 in my 79e6ab7178 memory.
 
‘Who are you?’
 
Who am e7cdf23ea4 I to 7eea58a6cc live inside 82a1d10b45 the mirror b19059dc04 I see?
 
‘Why… can c70009da05 only I e91debd0f3 see it?’
 
If I were 36f7e3900b to explain the 4f8ab2b6b8 image I see, 2559e7b915 others would call 265e762845 me delusional.
 
But I f1cdabd7c3 swear, from bac874e50a the moment 50357a23c9 I first d753109e2e saw myself bca71a18df in the cc833088c3 mirror when 8ee2c3b57e I was e82881ed38 born, it 2a9e6f8b1a has always d4ee5405b9 been like 1a69147c52 this.
 
The current 7a5bd4643a state, ranging eb8aaa2272 from shock cc6a9d92ef and confusion 761c619bb3 to resignation, 49bd5bc1f0 had more e9e8267979 questions than b4d1202e5b sadness.
 
“…I really don’t understand 73786b6c10 the reason.”
 
“What?”
 
Diana, who was stroking a1a1d8cc68 my head at that 122db1d910 moment, tilted her head.
 
I smiled 9dbdf3b6ff bitterly, then cc8100a21d cautiously took 4e1d90812f a breath 058905fc4c and spoke.
 
“Hey, miss. Can you not 7ae57659bd say I’m pretty dfcdffa95a in front of e2a7d0e32e other people?”
 
“Huh?”
 
Diana blinked at 6f144791fc my words, then 3e93555dd6 quickly welled up 881719e4c4 with tears.
 
“My brother said aa50801a55 mean things. That’s why I cf5045a5db got mad.”
 
“No, no, 66bc0a62de it’s not 05e718836b like that…”
 
I hesitated in 171c71087d my words.
 
Because, in 1401f77792 your eyes, 27ef31932f I only 8b10404fa7 look pretty.
 
To other people, I 3241cc30fd look plain and unremarkable.
 
So when 60abca8bab you say d49b21b575 such things, be1bb69196 I feel 9ceca6c326 really embarrassed.
 
Is it d4dc24f6f5 even possible 55c299798a to say 70b2ababc1 that?
 
As a young Diana 9dc9fc50d9 who wouldn’t fully understand, 3e791b8d16 and it would feel 8460e57ad9 like blaming her… I 8771951401 didn’t want to say 232e24c60d those words.
 
I pondered for 40c6d4f592 a moment and 6d622bfa8d opened my mouth 16e04bfb36 again.
 
“Actually, miss, bde69a08ad this is a486dd927c a secret 5d2bdbce32 that only 7e87732c2a the two a15705c8db of us b667d735f1 know.”
 
“A secret?”
 
“Yes. That I’m pretty, 5ff8f22e16 no one else 3fae8b24ee knows. Only you 58ea2be7d2 and I, d261bf1dc9 just the 24700406f8 two of 6a3149ec1c us.”
 
Diana widened her eyes e2d2b4ac4c in surprise and her dec3de624d heart fluttered.
 
“Only me and 881b11d03b big sister know? No one else?”
 
Though my conscience pricked 696b0c58be a little at her c733154935 innocent reaction, I nodded 9f61987093 my head.
 
“Yes. No one knows. And this 2eaa9af2a8 is a fe96e8eb9d secret. How do we keep 20d82655b8 a secret?”
 
“We have ca03621f36 to protect 8059c00457 it!”
 
“That’s right. So now, fa2d32d465 you won’t e3db6f1552 tell anyone f582c5ef4c else?”
 
“Um… Okay!”
 
Diana, who was 5f7cd3fd8d filling her cheeks c100ab7d22 thoughtfully and pursing 2afcf36ee9 her lips, seemed db3addc7b4 to have made 571b67427a up her mind 93f80443bb and exclaimed.
 
“We’ll keep 82ff18093e the secret! Dana is a 5c4d559dbc hero, so she 817de7558d has to protect 87c7fb5053 the princess!”
 
“Indeed, our little miss b926bb2eb4 is the coolest in ef934432fe the world.”
 
“Hehe.”
 
When Diana’s laughter sounded 0785fc74d2 pleasing, she started stroking 91c92c1e71 my head again.
 
Someone knocked on the bbb95309ca door.
 
“Dinner is ready, miss.”
 
As the maid’s 2fb6935a6d words ended, Diana, da6dec2396 who was standing 6dc5cae967 on the chair, 460fb084bd jumped down to c3091115b5 the floor.
 
Meanwhile, the maid who dad4b4f95a had entered through the 44e4e53280 open door quickly glanced bfb2da131f at the jewelry on c2ae37b5ba the dressing table and a8b8e15ae5 the clothes I was 5cc4d35fb9 wearing.
 
“Come to think of a0fd48f884 it, this is my d647b82d92 first time here.”
 
Unlike the 8ad3253763 frequent playacting b6b6a36b41 in the a935d842ec Duke’s residence, 3c1b734d06 this was 47b2de6545 the first f68d33ca23 time I b53cfb0689 had played baebbc5685 with dolls cbc2aaa70b since coming 63fe3b9836 to the 65fd013fc0 capital.
 
The maid’s gaze, 8330f2a3b7 which observed me 0218673901 to the point dd50e70c52 of feeling a ffdc7846cb little sharp, continued 4dd17b959f until we entered 9fc10e54b2 the dining room.
 
“Daddy!”
 
Diana, who entered the a6ce590d00 dining room, spotted Duke 127329f5f5 Ellard and ran up 51dd70cd18 to him.
 
I, too, looked at 16f15f7cac the Duke with surprise f783b904d5 in my eyes.
 
“And then she fell.”
 
Contrary to his gruff 94efe1aa3f tone, the Duke skillfully d46db57d21 held Diana and placed cdc95a5236 her on his knee.
 
In the busy capital, 4f762df8ae it was difficult to 95dfbbd2f7 see his face, but 8b2c52f449 seeing him now made 1f0dcf34eb me feel somewhat relieved.
 
As I looked 8a0acacc0c around the dining 524565b94e table in surprise 6f156cacea at my emotions, ec8369ef29 Allen and Lucio, ac9102c862 as well as 79614b351b the Duchess, were 67fa2d4828 all seated.
 
“I’m glad the b9c374a2dd whole family is 453e3e457c finally gathered.”
 
The Duchess 645a526e97 smiled softly.
 
“Lucio, welcome home. You’ll be returning to 85982274e6 the academy soon, but 48e0defdca make sure to take 6257bbf5cd a few days to 53996a93ff rest.”
 
It was a c47f1624e4 tone filled with fc2d095b5c love and affection 361e25d940 towards her son.
 
However, Lucio 605fcab18c just nodded a475d745d9 his head 9763caa435 slightly without 191bd81029 much of 8082df0ea7 a reaction.
 
Seeing his indifferent response, eae2840dd3 the Duchess awkwardly smiled.
 
It was a moment 9cec0719f6 when they felt a d99105b995 strange distance between them.
 
“Lucio, move aside.”
 
“…Excuse me?”
 
Perhaps the d857c22254 Duke’s words 12d4047425 were sudden, 5b7abb327c Lucio responded b98ab6e621 with a fad32f927f rare hint 135a995a9f of surprise b8e842f57c in his a16aff746d voice.
 
“Lia, come here d2f39ac2c9 and sit quickly.”
 
Moreover, I was also 7de2ebaa1a taken aback by the b7f43467c7 words calling me, who e095d3ba84 was standing at a d193ba0836 distance.
 
The Duke sat 82f7e2a96c at the head 6a71d24348 of the dining 5c7ed96cca table, with the 6124b6b15b Duchess and Allen 580c15a4d8 on his left, 21d53f1218 and Lucio on 48f5198856 his right.
 
Diana’s seat c18dd8c644 was next 8540f4a2ab to Lucio.
 
“Diana will 9c20754010 sit on 5930333553 my lap 0e746c2826 and eat. And Lia, you 123fc27fad should sit next d37f49a52b to Diana.”
 
Both the fd882ee454 Duchess and a1ef37278c I glanced 7291761c0c at each 667e78117b other in e8ae633519 surprise at 8c3779c9e3 the Duke’s a4f2f42458 words.
 
If it 86c5c6cf1a were a eb6abe8fc9 usual situation, 654498a18f I would 9c85103b07 have immediately 27c93671e5 opposed and 383c205bb2 stood up.
 
‘But in the Duke’s 3136c7e423 household, is the Duke’s 45706161ce word law?’
 
The Duchess observed the a29403c6f0 situation with an expressionless d919a4d169 face.
 
“Hmm. Even so, it’s a 85cf669f05 rare occasion for the 8897382b6a family to have a bffe12faac meal together…”
 
No matter how I e1fb8632d7 thought about it, it 181d15720b didn’t seem like a e4450877f0 place for me to 796ca357bc be.
 
However, the Duchess seemed 9a97b7a469 pleased that the Duchess 11f23fcdea did not object, and 0de938df0e Allen’s face was indifferent.
 
Only Lucio, with a 0c66193d2f slightly bewildered expression, blinked fe60a716c1 his eyes alternately between 37d4fe21ff me and Diana before 04cce2f316 getting up from his bcb34792d0 seat.
 
“I’ll move the tableware.”
 
As if 07f7cc7855 it were 7756865cce the Duke’s d0287dcd05 order, the 4a71de9c0e Duchess began f7cf9e208f moving the c4b1a37f2d tableware herself.
 
At the same 290576b750 time, another kitchen e6f45eec89 maid came and 5b0e55957c moved my tableware, 5999cd5566 but contrary to a5d9803cc4 my expectations, she 36ea2b62f8 showed no interest f91ddff00b in me and 24feb06b94 did not send 87957e87bd me a cold 1935cc5986 gaze as usual.
 
It wasn’t just her. All the a5dd29a00b maids who ff73920b08 were waiting e875af5650 at a 5e4cbf61f6 distance for af5b923f93 the banquet e36401e59c pretended not 5701fafe7b to notice 87bfb4aac2 me and 2b8d85c5ec stole glances 3d88d89610 at Lucio.
 
I couldn’t f059b48140 hide my c01f287938 excitement and 1a18ae756b longing gaze, 2bc5b0c163 so I c7d430d02a swallowed my 03519c99db laughter inwardly.
 
‘Well, he does 630f0c7f97 have a face d4b8a7a947 that keeps drawing 5053cdc4c0 my attention.’
 
Even when b8f9b2a872 we had b9a3b719bd meals at b9b78f2040 the Duke’s 4374b96ef0 residence before, d60f792b17 the maids bd7d72302a used to 3a20fd05f3 look at 46e7fd23d4 Duke Ellard f03538e1bf as if 3eff796669 they were e926f14b20 enchanted.
 
Despite their af59214c56 cold expressions, a32f63ddf3 they exuded 176a510638 an eerie edb72e11a0 and cool 77d670de0d atmosphere, but 2af9f19eea the two 0d2089dc36 of them 6dd71ed29b possessed beautiful 94bd4bf614 appearances.
 
‘But still, I c2e0d5ebc6 love Diana the 66b96a0d4b most, after all.’
 
Among those cc4f3ed34e with silver 53469bf931 hair and 202bdaad63 blue eyes, 496662436e Diana was f169fd49c3 undoubtedly the 8a20904ee2 most lovable b690104cfa presence.
 
As I looked 016935dd6f at Diana with ff8174b619 a joyful expression, a3d34f5ead I suddenly felt 4776284b7c someone’s gaze.
 
“…?”
 
“Didn’t you just 76756ef659 turn 9 years f960210858 old?”
 
“What?”
 
“Why hasn’t she grown ef944ea12f at all?”
 
The Duke lightly lifted cd7bfc31fc Diana and put her 0396fc18f8 down before speaking again.
 
“It seems 766dac9a92 like Diana 8b2486ffaf has grown fd9ea4a902 a lot.”
 
“Hmph!”
 
The Duke lightly c3a2580bd9 pinched Diana’s cheek 0f4e978144 and turned to 0c680a3a48 the Duchess.
 
“Do you 20d2771094 properly take 876888fc6f care of 1a8bbbb2dd her meals?”
 
“I’ve been 4efeec9369 busy lately, 12a2052fe4 so I bf7dffb797 haven’t been d24b2a7d90 able to 6fd6d65157 take care 5caeaf8910 of it fa9c6d743f frequently. Moreover, she 312e0fe02c doesn’t eat 6562695777 much, so 914e451b9e she doesn’t 0d0c61d692 grow well.”
 
The Duchess a0973a9d99 spoke with fd1365e774 a slightly 919f92db9e remorseful expression.
 
Finally understanding c8a392c404 what they 1d80da056a were talking bd351ea4d6 about, I 09f1598400 lowered my de12e6bc87 gaze in 996a98a374 embarrassment. Then, I noticed a2098b30f3 my thin wrists.
 
I thought 1f49687b33 I had af6313ea41 gained weight e372c97aac much more 3409dfb2e8 than when e0a81ab502 I was a9ed90ff2f in the dc9bec184f orphanage, but 0ba61d6a3d I still 297e6b9c49 had a aadb0ceb3c skinny body.
 
In fact, 7df6f34928 I knew 1616f6a539 that unlike b2a1dc39ac Diana, my c3ee799f32 cheeks were 16d09d0212 not plump 4cac13ad3f and my 02a2a3bd76 face was daeaaf8c91 gaunt.
 
‘Do I really look 03aa100eec that unsightly?’
 
Lucio’s words and the e99ebf0f77 gloomy thoughts I had bcc1f266ff just had while looking 06b264755b in the mirror made 191ab8e2c1 me feel a bit 476001a736 melancholic.
 
“Big sister!”
 
“Lia.”
 
As soon as 2add81a1d6 I raised my a71f86b2f5 head at the 8a9da425f3 voice calling me, ff31c7c89f a piece of b225b705d5 meat went into 08a46d66f7 my mouth.
 
“Hmph! I wanted to a9eb0e36e6 give it to 41378a7146 you!”
 
Diana shook the fork 2fb91c18dd she was holding with d3d66e5efb an angry face.
 
Seeing this, the 951fac26f4 Duke burst into 3fdd915ca6 laughter.
 
“Diana, you 78c35934c9 can never 4cf1ebc096 beat me f15d0c1d64 because your 93cb402be7 arms are 097adacc14 short.”
 
“Eeek! I hate you, 5ce46c1323 Dad! Huuung!”
 
Diana burst into tears, 3a2e8d15d0 but everyone just looked 059596c306 at the child with 6d13112ecf an expression of cuteness a7a3d14e03 and no one tried fd8c395651 to console her.
 
The Duke 9978676bad proudly said, 805411b5f6 “You need bd96265c0e to eat 7f19605425 meat to d0c06232dd grow,” and 8ba1f70eae even filled d27d73fccd my plate f30661c6b8 with food.
 
While not 39cc23149f knowing what db5f3c1282 to do, 4b8923a4fd I couldn’t 86efe6c063 resist Diana’s db365f78d9 pleading gaze d37895c1e8 as she 4486f73731 watched me f41c268a6a eat, so 42ea63fe5e I started b30d9a3be5 eating slowly.
 
And without imagining 5abea1c08a the repercussions of 86ccf3836f that day’s events, aeb0739b62 I fell asleep 4b43906f95 feeling full from 7f17d18558 the rare feast.
 
* * *
 
“Is that true? That kind of child 4a167923e6 sat next to the aaf1c628b8 young master and had 6fc9c4cb0a a meal together!”
 
“And the master even 94a99785e5 personally served her food?”
 
“I can’t 60e4bc12b3 believe it! How can a 53c255503c girl like her… e5c8b76257 What does she b5605843a9 have that’s better 38ad1f77a0 than us!”
 
In the early morning, 4cd5b48138 the maids who started 130ad8dd15 working early quickly spread 4195c8c55a the rumors they had e9e8c2feb2 been itching to share ee9c25c75b since last night.
 
“But more than that, 4090cecced have you seen the 8d32f7a0c6 clothes she was wearing?”
 
“Soyna said that 51680fe3f9 the girl was 78f5f652c7 in the young 45ae3968d0 lady’s room, choosing 66b9b2c098 and trying on a71cd01dcc the young lady’s 4384fcfbf6 clothes and jewelry.”
 
“Oh my goodness. That’s not something we 0f6920d4c7 can just overlook!”
 
As they 04c917e5fd became consumed 5fc19b1e4c by jealousy 0de648dead and heatedly 85cf1ef5cb gossiped, they 0f3329823a raised their 32ca93c452 voices as 250212fdf4 if declaring ed20ca4d2a themselves to ec6cdb73a2 be the 20074449cb unwavering loyal 6543ca168d subjects of a10553e794 Duke Elard.
 
“But what can we, 2770a44f72 mere maids, do? The young lady, 09bb2bb7a4 of course, and df4d70147c even the lady f4d03b8261 and the young cfea34749d master dote on 22687b6752 that child…”
 
“I don’t know what b8fd18b77e happened in the Duke’s f1c62b0885 household, but everyone is 6002bdf444 firmly deceived. That child is a70d554718 so audacious.”
 
“Yes, we should see 2ba45949e4 her true colors. How venomous and wicked e13eae511b she is, never making 0653fda8ef a single mistake.”
 
“Even if she makes c89bbd0f9c a mistake, they will e52887057e surely overlook it generously.”
 
It was a moment 7f89cf8746 when they scoffed, saying a14f9cb140 it was obvious even ba6d937c1b without looking.
 
Suddenly, the gaze b524063426 of those muttering 2b66503769 grew ominously sharp.
 
“By the way, e2eb574248 the young master e3ed42756b has arrived.”
 
“Yes. If it’s Lucio, a60b52c0f3 he will never a829076c65 tolerate her mistakes.”
 
And the morning 4493d801c1 dawned.
 
—————————————————————da5259bcfaf193c8

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