* * *
“It’s absolutely disgusting.”
Regina muttered, throwing away the rag she was holding.
The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became.
“She’s trying to impress the Duke…”
Regina spat out and bit her lip.
Yesterday, Wilhazelle turned the mansion upside down in search of Raphel.
By order of the butler, everything they were doing had to be stopped and the servants had to look for the missing child.
She pretended to care for him so well that even the people watching were fooled.
It didn’t matter whether others were fooled by her acting or not, but the problem was that even the owner of this mansion seemed to have been fooled.
“But she seemed really surprised for it to be an act…”
Murael, who was cleaning the stairs with Regina, muttered.
Yesterday, Lizelle was looking for the child with a pale face. She seemed completely sincere.
“It’s all an act! Can’t you see it?”
Regina let out a scream, so loud that the whole first floor rang.
Regina had seen it.
When she entered the room to receive the order to return to work from Rohan the butler, she saw Chaser unable to take his eyes off Wilhazelle.
He had an expression on his face that Regina had never seen before while working at the mansion.
His red eyes, as deep as the ocean, contained nothing but Wilhazelle.
Even though he didn’t even pay attention to her…
“That can’t be possible. There’s no way.”
Regina bit her nails out of anxiety. It seemed like she saw Chester’s emotions rising to the surface for a split second, but she denied it again and again.
Because it shouldn’t have happened that way.
Because she had to be the one next to Duke Chaser.
“The Duke held my hand…”
Regina recalled a time when she had just entered the mansion.
Back then, everything was awkward and difficult, so she often spent the night in tears.
The amount of work itself was enough for one person to handle, but the most difficult thing for her was that the existing servants were unwelcoming to newcomers.
They assigned Regina to do unsavory chores, and she had to do extra work like cleaning the basement after she finished her duties.
It was the same that day three years ago.
On her way to clean the basement, when she was trudging around with her eyes swollen from crying all night, someone snatched her wrist.
Regina suddenly looked up, startled by the warmth she felt.
There stood Chaser Halos.
When she first met him, he shone brightly, as if he lit up the whole world.
He was noble and dignified and lived in a world different from her own. He was so superior that she did not dare to look at him directly.
On the other hand, she wondered why he was showing interest in her.
“Hold still.”
“Okay?”
Regina looked at Chaser with a red face.
He was still fiddling with her hand.
“Why, my hand…”
Even though she tried to ask the question, voice trembling, Chaser just looked at her hand with serious eyes.
After a while, he let go and walked away.
Regina muttered as she watched his back getting farther away, clutching her pounding heart.
“Oh my god… I think I like the Duke.”
It was then that Regina felt love for the first time.
And from that day on, she worked relentlessly to get Chaser’s attention and to get closer to him.
She endured the attitudes of her fellow servants and worked hard to be liked by the head maid.
Because only then could she be by his side.
However, her desperate efforts were in danger of being ruined by one person.
“How dare she treat our duke…”
Regina muttered to herself as she climbed the stairs.
It was okay for the duke to not pay attention to Regina. She believed if she worked harder, someday he would understand her sincerity.
However, she couldn’t stand the idea of the daughter of a Baron, who only talked about money, trying to take advantage of his pure heart.
‘Wilhazelle acts pretentiously as if she is worried about the child, and Chaser is concerned about her.’
Regina bit her lip, recalling yesterday’s events again.
‘Let’s wait a little while longer.’
It would soon be revealed that the Lady, like everyone else, lied.
Even if the child is the Duke’s nephew, that uninvited guest, who is like a thorn in Regina’s eyes, will only stay until the end of the month, so she will be leaving soon.
‘Yeah, nothing will change.’
If she just goes away, everything will go back to normal. She thought she would be able to be by his side and be with him like she previously planned.
Regina straightened her ugly expression and hummed.
* * *
The next day.
“Wow!”
The fountain they saw on the first day was, as expected, gushing out a stream of water with a brilliant light.
Raphel was excited to see the rainbow-colored water falling in a graceful stream.
“Raphel, be careful not to fall.”
Lizelle leisurely sat at the table and watched Raphel play.
‘Well, that was unexpected.’
She thought he was a very suspicious person and only trusted himself.
The more she got to know Duke Chaser, the more she felt he was different from her first impression.
He still treated her like a thief, but whatever. All he had to do was be a good uncle to Raphelion.
Wilhazelle lifted the teacup from the table and took a sip.
The sweet black tea filled her mouth.
“It’s almost over.”
Lizelle muttered to himself as she put down her teacup.
After yesterday’s incident that made her heart sink, their normal daily life continued on.
There was nothing they couldn’t find in the residence, but for her, the repetitive routine was boring.
Moreover, staying here as a guest for such a long time was uncomfortable.
She felt sorry for Raphel, but Lizelle wanted to quickly get the antidote and prove that he was Chaser’s nephew, and then leave this mansion.
It’s a shame, but that’s all they could do.
Since she had her own family, she couldn’t stay with Raphel when they weren’t related by blood.
Occasionally, she could probably visit as a friend or godmother, but that would only be possible if the Duke gave her permission.
Not only was there no way he would ever allow it, but she also had no desire to continue her relationship with the Duke of Halos after.
Because each of them had their own place in this world.
She had to go back to her place.
Wilhazelle was lost in thought as she watched Raphel play.
Raphel will be able to get along well here even if she leaves the mansion, because Chaser and the heroine will be by his side.
There will be many difficulties he must face, but he will be able to overcome them all in the end, because the main character couldn’t die.
To be honest, she wanted to be by his side and help, but she was neither the main character nor a supporting character, her role was minor.
She never appeared in their story.
They have their own, separate stories. If she got involved, the original story could change, and her family could be in danger.
It was best to stay away from Raphel after leaving the mansion.
‘But I’m going to miss Raphel a lot.’
As she continued her life, she would surely recall the month she spent with Raphel at the Duke of Halos’ residence.
Lizelle became extremely depressed over the approaching separation.
“Have some of this Lady Wilhazelle.”
Tia brought a freshly baked pound cake.
“Thank you, Tia.”
“Cake!”
Raphel rushed over, grabbed a piece of cake, and ran away.
“Raphel, be careful not to fall!”
Lizelle laughed happily as she watched Raphel run.
She decided not to think about the inevitable breakup for a while. It was more important to make memories with Raphel during the remaining time.
She wanted to remember Raphel as a bright and cheerful child, like he is now.
“Ah, Tia. Can you bring me some jelly candies?”
“Jelly? Yes, I’ll get it right away!”
Tia quickly headed to the mansion.
Since there was only cake and cookies on the refreshment table, she asked for jelly candy for Raphel, who likes it.
‘Ah, I should have asked for it in the shape of Raphel’s favorite bear.’
“Tia!”
Lizelle called out to Tia, who was hurriedly walking away, but it seemed like her voice could not reach due to the distance.
She had no choice but to stand up.
She felt like she could catch up quickly if she walked a bit faster.
“Please look after Raphel for a moment.”
Wilhazelle asked Max, the knight standing behind her, to watch Raphel and hurriedly followed Tia.
But she walked so fast that she was nowhere to be seen anymore.
When Lizelle was looking around to find Tia, who had disappeared, she heard voices.
“Really?”
“Yeah. The former Duke’s carriage accident, that… I heard it was planned by the current Duke.”
Huh? What did they mean?
When she noticed the voices were coming from nearby, Lizelle walked in that direction.
“No matter how good the Duke is, how could he…”
“Who did you hear that from?”
“Huh, ah! Lady Wilhazelle…”
What they said was nothing more than absurd rumors. Moreover, the Duke’s servants were slandering their master.
Lizelle frowned and stepped forward.
The surprised employees quickly lowered their heads.
“Where did you hear that?”
“Well, that…”
They could not answer easily and hesitated.
Wilhazelle sighed to herself.
Chaser was the one who caused the carriage accident of the former Duke and Duchess and Raphel?
That was ridiculous.
Of course, she’d only read to the middle of the novel, and it wasn’t clear who the culprit was, but Wilhazelle was convinced that Chaser was not the one.
‘There was a scene that implied that the carriage accident, which was clearly not an accident, was due to someone’s meticulous plan.’
Moreover, it was Chaser who personally led the knights and investigated the incident.
He, who must have suffered more than anyone else, became the culprit in the people’s eyes.
Lizelle couldn’t hold back her anger.
“Where did you hear that?”
“Everyone’s been saying that…”
“Everyone? Are you talking about the other employees?”
“Yes…”
“Haaa…”
Lizelle sighed heavily.
When she thought about it, the employees seemed startled and scared every time they encountered Chaser. She never thought there would be a rumor going around like this.
If this false rumor ever reached Raphel’s ears, it would be a big problem.
His memories are still lost, and if he starts to hate his only family member, who cares for him, he will never be able to trust anyone for the rest of his life.
The novel would go in a different direction from the original.
“It’s not like that. That’s absolutely not the case, so don’t bring this up in front of Raphel. No, don’t even let the word carriage enter his ears.”
“Yes… We’re sorry.”
The servants bowed their heads in fear.
“Is it okay to stay outside for this long when the breeze is chilly?”
“Aaaah!”
At that time, one of the servants was startled by a low voice suddenly heard from behind them, and let out a scream.
__________________________________________________________________
Enjoy my translations? Check out some of my other novels!
- Reasons to Protect the Witch’s Son
- I Found a Husband When I Picked up the Male Lead
- The Contract with the Lord was a Trap
- I Became The Mother Of the Male Lead Who Lives With An Adulterous Man
- By the Time You Came Around, It Was Already Too Late
- After the Ending, I Received the Second Male Lead as a Gift
- Unveil the Truth
