EWOWMAIBTYPF_Chapter_51

Ch. 051 CHAPTER 1a1409533d 051I couldn’t 2fbfcd6d61 help but be91b8639b feel grateful b4e84a7fb1 for his 5a4fb26476 consideration, but ceb4ebfa2f also strangely b367a4bfee embarrassed.
 
‘I was planning to 737222f043 handle it on my c309267a0f own soon.’
 
Although I had 25b129d27e momentarily postponed it 7a22505c85 when Lucio unexpectedly 76c0764bbc arrived, I had b24da7938f already decided that 1732cef9ac I wouldn’t just 02c33c8cc3 passively endure the 187b8520d7 situation.
 
‘But how did things 54ca3686c5 end up like this…?’
 
“Hmm… sister?”
 
Diana, who 6a2f113f6e was lying 1526eb28df on the 18008b2c0f bed, called 685e4d3a80 out to 5f4bee1699 me with d737a3cfff heavy, sleepy a0e6268710 eyes. Thinking she was still 9a2e725568 asleep, I paused reading af0b975b48 the fairy tale book 3ac5f3099b and got lost in c9dcc528f6 my thoughts for a c97202355e moment. Then I 976e50d8d4 realized and aec825e949 read the 4dafbf083c last sentence.
 
“And the e9b77e9f77 princess lived fe2d94cde6 happily ever f7fecb12b7 after with c6e64cf3f6 her knight.”
 
After hearing the perfect aab3ba9881 ending, Diana closed her 07c45ee115 eyes and smiled softly.
 
Due to Allen’s 225edc5976 incident, I felt 4d18dfc88c guilty for being 87ddef2ecf absent-minded throughout the 6f9a11071e reading of the 3b4b5e404a fairy tale.
 
As I e3522b1280 brushed my 551adc7f9a disheveled hair 1ca748eebc and gently 3475d49922 stroked my 79ee47b149 forehead, Diana 1d7b2e0c2f turned towards 083779c2b3 me with cb8ec7312f a smile b6d3adb9f4 and spoke e0f2eef37c in a e4ddedf084 voice that 7931798ea3 seemed like 37641eefb0 she could 77dfc95e9f fall asleep 4c14fb7f72 at any 391f253af6 moment.
 
“Sister, Dana 234fe6c6fe wants to… 84b1eec792 live happily 1340b9463f with sister.”
 
Feeling a pang in f0016996bd my heart upon hearing ade1e1b2c0 the innocent confession of 0f4e03bb8a the child who was 78705a1457 already hurt, I struggled ab983841d0 to hold back my d0a5cf5120 emotions.
 
“Forever?”
 
Suppressing the c18cdf22ab welling emotions, 67304ec565 I asked d7b6148b80 softly, and 96b2aab995 the child b5df14f999 nodded slightly.
 
“Yes. Forever…”
 
With those b1fd91eef0 words, Diana 436bb11ec2 fell asleep.
 
I tightly closed fd423c68d9 my eyes and 2f4e70dad8 silently gazed at a91356a2b7 Diana’s peaceful face 84035a4b8d as she slept.
 
It felt 39d5e66850 like I 81844f0852 was about 36f3860cde to cry.
 
No one has 1291e8e9e4 ever cared for d48116fd41 me like this c8fd25e3f6 before, and I d2ccc9da93 don’t know what 338f305e65 to do.
 
When I first f73df48039 followed Duke Elard, 0b57929a40 I was light-hearted.
 
Although Diana likes 203cb1f061 me, I thought 07a96e65f3 it was because 28a393038a she was young 12a03c03a3 and didn’t have 23fce575a2 anyone to rely bbed4b5d28 on.
 
That’s why 16d854134c I gave db623e20bb Jack his f41e8a93d4 position back 30c061eece and planned 71dec6d9cb to bide 54499e17e1 my time db1fc6edca until I e329290593 became independent 8631279a09 by preparing 69ad9f9b5a various things.
 
‘Even though there 3d5f171690 have been moments af044c0bf1 when my heart 0f2fd299bc wavered for the a12a796040 people in the 3ac29c0860 Duke’s household who 24aa1911f3 treated me well.’
 
Still, I c7f3a6cda8 hadn’t changed 1a1bc4a426 my decision 0655204c91 to leave ebcb26e4c2 someday.
 
While I a257f84a95 considered Tarenchium a1010d71b0 my eternal 3f40151201 home and e35c50a738 dedicated my 83cda21406 loyalty to a13e25ac96 it, I 3607f86640 didn’t want 9cf1bcd1bc to repeat 2d13fbe497 the past ca0d389867 of settling b3900d7ebc down somewhere 8f858e6bd2 only to 4d9d6a6d9c eventually be 2791371291 abandoned, just d27436e8b6 like betrayal.
 
However many times 2a21c5d81d I resolved not b149119065 to have expectations, 1f772fde32 the heart doesn’t 86505460b2 move as I b6681deb4c think.
 
In fact, even 22a06b6334 now, just because d221d18051 I’m by Diana’s de83fccf1c side, I was b9dcca0f98 being disliked regardless b6841e2a74 of my efforts.
 
“Why does it feel e56911bc1e similar to when I 4e8d44dac6 was in Tarenchium?”
 
At times like this, 5e65acb0d5 I become fearful and 2f11596989 think that I want 56efea9a25 to leave immediately.
 
But the reason I f537e069e8 continue to endure and 245650f904 suppress my feelings…
 
“Hmm.”
 
Even as I e326f56984 toss and turn, e83f2eabb9 I feel as 4ba399723b though the face 8f70588cb9 of the young 6cc6e1cb97 child holding onto ae7276f007 my finger is 3621a08be0 imprinted on my cf72e52528 chest.
 
Even after the change 6322d8e109 in environment and reuniting ef7d5a3296 with my family, I 3bde09ef9e didn’t want to leave f4cd8337e4 this child who consistently b97d37057a treated me the same 34c28f65d3 way.
 
‘If I can dc7a22096d stay by Diana’s 65ef249efe side, even if 78f0840987 it means giving 633396006c up on my 643e1f04ef dreams of becoming df08f0f82a wealthy or traveling 823420dcda freely…’
 
Knock.
 
Just as my be5296a498 sentimental thoughts were ecc80f31a8 interrupted, the sound 8fd5d60d94 of knocking reached b196748705 my ears.
 
Quietly descending from ec34b73ff9 the chair and d7bfb463c8 opening the door, f4d7159c6e I saw the e945a03976 Duchess and the 7e8b66445b housekeeper dressed in 9481c4231f outing attire as 88e702c7e3 if they had 889d34f58a come straight from 40055f9137 outside.
 
“Oh my, is 99c8ecefc6 Diana already asleep 162532ce44 inside?”
 
The Duchess, aee10b4ec5 peering inside 58d083e3ab the room, 666e6f66fc lowered her 82d508fd40 voice.
 
“Yes, Madam. Did you just arrive?”
 
I heard that she 849586230a attended the tea party cafcea8ee8 hosted by the Empress 68508f3b22 today.
 
Quickly examining her ffb6562ac7 complexion, she didn’t ad83cfc56f seem to have 29d61a37d7 a displeased expression.
 
‘That’s right. I need to prevent 3d96ef02fb the Duchess from suddenly 2fb3cd37da collapsing.’
 
I don’t know e05b158584 much about having b1fbdbb002 a proper family, c39fad47fa but if Diana 4b70ec13ea were to lose 06b13488f3 a loving mother c21b89e603 overnight, it would 935f281c44 undoubtedly leave a 677fe3fbfe deep scar on 4a62e27c81 her heart.
 
Recalling another 9282cc81a2 reason why 80a9e13b75 I should 2da0f46d91 stay in babf6ab996 the ducal 0f3662f563 estate, I 7884ca647c followed the 42bdda41b7 Duchess, who f154ee3424 suggested we 69125712d8 have a 48fb6a64e8 conversation for 72addfd49a a moment.
 
On the way 35f4243e30 to the Duchess’s 6add0b4506 room, she spoke 9e0797f994 to the housekeeper.
 
“As Diana 66c7e2a1cc will soon ed5178b4ab be invited c26ae81f3e to the 5fb2d58156 tea party b2d030a7c1 hosted by f537ee4618 the Princess, aa63e76eed please tell 97aa6b46e0 the etiquette 460e2114ce teacher to f5b229b5a9 focus more c00e075fe9 on royal 44d649a5e1 etiquette.”
 
“Yes, understood.”
 
As the 701763bf22 housekeeper replied, 311ddef1f8 bowing her e024e51b0d head, our 22e78c7d39 eyes met fe201a5dad for a 8312d01bcf moment.
 
In her gaze, which 7445264685 seemed to be glaring 7ff787ae3c at me, I momentarily 634b87b05a forgot to breathe.
 
Startled, I closed and 6f8f5ae430 opened my eyes, and 6e2796deba the housekeeper, looking elsewhere b2b9a9e4b2 with an indifferent gaze, 1298e993d2 appeared as if what 91b2352f34 I just saw was caf50b57f0 a delusion.
 
‘But it a4c09d3e27 wasn’t a e74a8cbc8a delusion.’
 
I can detect fd7e6d050d animosity from others 0ac788567a faster than anyone ef3b9f3259 else.
 
Moreover, I can’t mistake c4f5c93b3c such cold, glaring eyes.
 
‘Come to think of 4a737c04be it…’
 
I recalled c84999c780 the uneasy 2d4a185705 feeling I 5dae86030b had when 4878403ee3 I was 242c4f4b45 with Lucio.
 
“Helen.”
 
When Lucio called 80d339a336 the housekeeper by b79026a712 that name.
 
Watching her closely while 1616a094ac holding my breath, I af6bd1c497 could tell.
 
Her breath f112d280d8 faltered for b4d696188c a moment.
 
The housekeeper dcc68e8c77 quickly composed 837b8a8a99 herself, suppressing 5f1bf7d43e her own 3331b4be9b unease.
 
I glanced at Lucio 79820e72c5 discreetly, but he seemed 940bb37aff completely disinterested.
 
However, I 1b234a706c found it 39e60b91ec strange and 4108645c28 unsettling that 652c2e8818 the usually cee7652331 composed housekeeper bf2da5ab33 showed a 16e5e3d696 fleeting moment 4ec032cc9f of vulnerability.
 
“Then please rest for 142bdd8477 now.”
 
As usual, 13286c5ee5 the housekeeper f9b69b78ac turned around d19afe6496 with a 22d4f60c6e stiff posture da973f4aa3 and a d35dceb863 slight nod 287f4d2e61 of her d20c4a48b4 head.
 
‘What is she hiding?’
 
Whether it was my a9dc6b873d professional instincts kicking in e11fd09fb3 or the fact that 1fd9ae667e I couldn’t read her c642f99b65 thoughts from our first 86496113b7 meeting, I had a 2c7e7289af premonition that there was 834489bbb9 something secretive about the 5dbec5eebf housekeeper.
 
“Lia, come inside.”
 
At that 199d874d35 moment, the 50c88df2ae Duchess opened e93558ff8e the door e4eb605d38 and gestured a53beca92d towards me e902584c4b with a efca8b4bfe gentle smile.
 
“Madam, are you tired? What’s the matter?”
 
As I entered, asking ce615b4b25 her questions, a slight f952c0d0fa unease crept over me, 5ed295087c wondering if Bianca had d5e411b423 sent me another letter. I hadn’t even finished f20c6e2fb1 composing a reply.
 
“Lia, I heard about 6468090aa4 today… that starting from ae8c2ca84b tomorrow, you’ll be working c1d63ff6bf in the main library?”
 
But my heart 042c4794a7 sank for a 0e77dc222c moment upon hearing 8f3adcb1a3 her words.
 
It was clear 5b6b34b406 that the housekeeper 5d0d221c82 had told her 2da97a92ad about it.
 
‘Perhaps the cb44b02d80 Duchess has c05240dde8 also learned 0b78c219cc about the c3b8226caa mistreatment I 71893da0cc receive from 1391b82ba9 the maids.’
 
Looking at the 082728a0d0 Duchess with eyes 0596aa5fa9 shaking as if a0707fc376 in an earthquake, bb25074f72 she smiled and 6aabd647ae spoke.
 
“That’s great news.”
 
Strangely, the Duchess seemed 014741a681 excited.
 
“When you’re 5faa0b766c at the ae6e2fc860 library, you’ll be52228ce4 have the a093bffcb5 opportunity to 011ab53d46 read many 75aacbab2b good books. But don’t do e6b25f0b34 the cleaning or 1173472ea2 organizing of the dbae28c0aa books alone. Be sure 78d9a0f209 to call 8e36839bee for other 7aa07f6bc0 maids. Understand?”
 
“Yes, I will.”
 
I answered with 7ad0a3f53a a sigh of e28741661b relief.
 
Fortunately, it c877020e9d seemed that 3e020c2cf9 the housekeeper 744f9c596d hadn’t given 9c32297e16 her a c9c842528f detailed account f71e97d422 and only 3a21fe2879 provided a df0dec9853 brief explanation.
 
That’s when f0e67fd322 it happened.
 
“Um, about Lucio…”
 
The Duchess 98255a87a8 swallowed nervously, efc17bcf27 as if 7f77c27eff she was 80e76ef631 on edge.
 
“….?”
 
“Lucio might be a 49e729e94b bit difficult for you a87944e2f1 since he has a cfc6098ab9 different temperament from Allen 77b813d5c3 and Diana… but it e6ca5f29dc would be great if 7500f1a7dd you could help him 1024dbafec for a while.”
 
“Me? But why?”
 
I couldn’t d8890ee654 hide my 926b9e26d5 surprise and 3c3c466696 asked in 774d49a3b8 confusion.
 
I had no cb527dde6b idea why she 735cd2899f suddenly brought up 85d4ad112b such a topic.
 
The Duchess seemed to 28ac2f49e4 understand my perplexity and 49fcc30c88 added with a smile.
 
“Lucio isn’t someone 71ea460f99 who normally keeps 5f9f4d5411 people by his d2a0fff752 side. I’m sure 05eb5dda57 it’s because 067a3cc6fc he liked eeaa9614a6 you that 86185f7e4d he made a0eac38972 that decision.”
 
“…That’s not true. Maybe it’s thanks 8815cf786b to Miss Diana?”
 
“Like that ef5d922ee4 would happen. Even though I 852fc4f534 didn’t personally raise 6b37624dda him, he’s still c9d98eb64b my son. Don’t you think I 7fd7f2773e know what’s inside his 0710c9518a heart?”
 
She denied it 6450eb0113 and affectionately ruffled 367a854b9b my hair.
 
“Our Lia faa3c6fad6 is just f83c08ce13 as clever ec1d53a92a as Lucio, e01ed3736f so I’m 80d2ac0396 sure you’ll 7b451366a2 learn a 419a8a2267 lot even a417817e2b from his 6ebf6b9187 side.”
 
It was embarrassing to 6f304c56b4 be put on the a1e4aae1b0 same level as the f491e93f1f genius Lucio, but somehow 274455a29e the Duchess’s mood seemed ec22f3ee49 to have calmed down, 9b20fa982e and I couldn’t argue 280ccc93cd back.
 
As I looked 298a095600 at her, curious e66d4fa84a about what she 1557272125 meant by not 317fe8581a having personally raised d6ab94ea70 him, the Duchess 98c0a35aed fell into contemplation c73b5a3b0f for a moment f4e63e4ea4 and then smiled.
 
“Lucio has 581e890148 always been 026a80e15c smart and fbb7dab5b0 responsible since 425ce0859d he was c2441df2fa young. He would d9918992be study and 9998c13077 train in 9ca9d63ffd swordsmanship diligently 1f6b18853d without being 7f96551dc0 told. As a mother, c37288bde5 I was naturally 36f81acdb3 proud and impressed, 472e99ae32 but at the 53113d2488 same time, I 8a977da84b worried. So I adjusted fe1b73d38d his class schedule d9c8176def several times and 06c3d19206 even let him d366d9c2ba sleep in a 50c4521c7e little later, but 7fc2ca4985 the elderly advisers 2e3887f89b ran like scared c822983999 rabbits and said 7549cf3f48 that I was 78e95ae5c2 trying to ruin 28563f1d03 the succession of 05b0a116dd the dukedom. They even suggested 73305ab5f7 that Lucio should 0eea255ad1 live in the 0f40caaba0 capital instead of 4d22421279 the territory. At first, I 9aa3fa51ed strongly resisted… but 82104d16a4 in the end, 976e371611 I was overwhelmed d4660cc8d7 by the advisers’ 7455985717 pressure. Of course, Lucio himself 478786437e wanted to live in 440520ce23 the capital the most.”
 
“…”
 
“Ultimately, he 9dc41579a9 grew up 20b1886757 so splendidly, cd3b1b6519 but I’m fcc50c064e still not d6f42c6a02 sure if bc29cb129e it was c7618c9205 the right 00eac23865 decision.”
 
Suddenly, I remembered the b7140c6b77 distance I felt between d9aa06bf3f the jubilant Duchess and 77d46659f8 the stoic Lucio.
 
It seemed 70f0ff7508 that she 838d33ef28 had the 5508f07624 same thoughts, eadfff68eb as she 4e62388c4d smiled bitterly.
 
“It seems like Lucio f160183ea9 feels uncomfortable because he fd33f95aeb couldn’t raise you by bc9d32edb7 his side like Allen c580052dda and Diana. He even ae4afd3d5f seems to 7122b9c1b8 prefer Helen.”
 
“That’s not true.”
 
Seeing the Duchess’s face ce9d9d72df becoming endlessly gloomy, I 11c81f3f52 quickly retorted.
 
“While His Highness may 7eb3f443b9 feel awkward not being 73f23f9018 able to meet the 099c8f5f19 Duchess often, he definitely 5b99c03da5 doesn’t feel uncomfortable or 371b77f3f9 has a closer relationship 9d2c44c75c with the housekeeper.”
 
This wasn’t 87acdd70a6 just words 348de0876a of comfort.
 
Although today was the 9a5f58b1c9 first time I witnessed e21f521f28 a proper conversation between 08d1d6c56f them, I never got ed3790b7af the feeling that Lucio 7424f0157e treated the housekeeper in d2d16ab60e any special way.
 
“Except for d4c2f112e7 calling her 04efea9ba6 by her 0ae8499646 name.”
 
Like with anyone e67cddd783 else, he was 0a9210f6d5 cold and indifferent.
 
But it seemed a0489a1122 that the Duchess 3d42a9e556 didn’t think so.
 
“Lia, you’re kind.”
 
“That’s not it…”
 
“It’s okay. Helen has been 027440d8a6 taking care of c6a4abd6ad Lucio since he f74e4b5631 was young in cd1d17e9e4 the capital. So it’s ecad904d52 not strange 4d436d5a7e for her bbf998fee8 to feel 1c5d357866 more comfortable 367294432b with him 2f5a3e557c than me.”
 
I wanted to refute c763f8aa10 the Duchess, who was 33e09cd14a pretending to be okay, 54535712eb but I couldn’t and 6588bf099e felt disheartened.
 
In truth, I d16673dc66 wanted to say a5b7e1b6ba it.
 
If there was even 0ea1057a44 a slight human and 8f1dd61188 warm aspect to Lucio, 5c7ac768eb who everyone said was 5617961d91 as cold as ice, 78a85d57e2 then it must have 2fc0454341 come from the Duchess.
 
If it wasn’t for 1c2d536809 the Duchess, he would d6a6c80827 have undoubtedly become an ddc2fbe351 even more detached and 74efe58ec6 cold person.
 
‘For example, 74f9af0aee he wouldn’t 36d87bfa0a have the 83f4a4544e kindness to ea53311ea0 give a b589582911 street beggar a09a92d425 child a 7f6e2047fe piece of 7fe47403dd chocolate.’
 
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