“…What are you talking about right now?”
Then, a terrifyingly deep voice echoed. My father, unlike before, stared at Countess Portman with a fierce gaze.
“You know about the strange rumors that circulated when Olivia left the Grand Duke’s residence.”
…Strange rumors?
I quickly flipped through the pages of my memory. Strange rumors? In the original story, the scene where my mother left the grand duke’s residence was mentioned so briefly that there was no mention of any rumors. No matter how I thought about it, it was the same.
“On that day, one of the attendants also disappeared. Everyone said they ran away together…”
“W-What do you mean, ran away together?”
My mother’s face turned pale. In the original story, she left this place alone. So, those words were like a bolt from the blue for her.
“I left this place alone, so why would you say that…”
“It’s true that one attendant disappeared that day. So, why don’t you tell us? Why did you leave this place in the first place, even while carrying a child in your womb?”
Well, it was because Dad told her to get rid of me…
“Th-That’s!”
My mother opened her mouth to speak but then looked at me and quickly shut it tight.
She would never bring that up in front of me. Even if a knife were at her throat.
As my mother weakly lowered her head, a triumphant smile appeared on Countess Portman’s face.
“Why can’t you speak? What’s the reason you can’t say anything? Tell me. Was it true, as everyone whispered, that the father of the child in your womb was another man, and that’s why you ran away?”
Bang!
My mother stood up, knocking her chair over. She shouted with the angriest face I had ever seen.
“Madam! Be careful with your words! The child can hear everything you’re saying!”
I was starting to get annoyed as well. It seemed that perhaps a rumor had circulated briefly when an attendant disappeared on the same day, but trying to use that as leverage now was cowardly.
What should I do about that senile old woman? Should I just throw the secret ledger at her without any context to shut her up? As I was contemplating this, my father’s low voice rang out.
“The reason Libby left me is because of me.”
My father stood up, righted the fallen chair, and sat my agitated mother back down.
Then, returning to his original seat, he stared at me for a long time. Just as I felt that his gaze contained pain, he spoke in a voice akin to confession.
“I denied the existence of this child… That’s why Libby had no choice but to leave me.”
In the original story, Karim Iskas did not want a child. The first reason was that his future was uncertain, and the second was that my mother’s health was weak.
He had always practiced thorough contraception, but one time he impulsively spent the night with her. In a way, Arcadia might truly have been the product of his mistake.
“Karim!”
My mother rushed over and covered my ears. Then she shouted with a level of anger that was incomparable to before.
“Both of you, shut your mouths!”
Huh?
I stared blankly at my mother, wondering if I had heard incorrectly. Mom, did you just tell Dad to shut up?
Is she really my mom? Can my mom even say something like that?
“If anyone says another word, I won’t let it go!”
Both of them fell silent under my mother’s fierce demeanor. She immediately picked me up and left the parlor. Then she ordered a maid to take me to my room.
No, Mom. I want to hear more about this…
But my mother grabbed my shoulders and earnestly implored me.
“Ar, forget everything you heard today. You didn’t hear anything today. There’s no need to hold it in your heart. Do you understand?”
Actually, I already knew everything. So, can’t I just stay and listen for a bit?
I wanted to say that, but seeing my mother, who had just told them to shut up, I couldn’t muster the courage. I realized that this was the time for adults to talk, so I nodded.
“Okay, Mom.”
I took the maid’s hand and quietly returned to my room. I was so curious about what was happening in the drawing room, but as a child, I could no longer intrude.
Ah, I want to grow up quickly. There are so many things I can’t do in this child’s body. I wish I could become an adult soon and do what I want freely…
As I lay on the bed lamenting, I soon had to acknowledge one thing.
I, as a child, cannot solve everything. There are things I can do now and things that must be entrusted to adults.
It seemed best to leave the decisions regarding Countess Portman and Anna to my mother.
My mother is such a kind person that she would probably forgive them too easily, which is why I had intervened, but thinking it over, that might have been disrespectful to her.
Reflecting on what just happened… Yes. Perhaps the person who underestimated my mother the most was me.
After all, I have no right to punish them. The right to forgive or punish them all belongs to my mother.
I called Anna over and handed her the secret ledger and the bracelet.
“Take this to Mom right now.”
“Excuse me?”
Anna looked very puzzled as she accepted the items.
“Tell her everything honestly, except for my involvement. Say that you took the ledger directly from the grandmother’s room and that you stole the bracelet a long time ago. You’d better not think of trying to deceive me. If you do, you’ll really regret it.”
I had already prepared a copy of the ledger. Many people had seen Anna digging something up under the tree that day.
“Milady.”
“If you say you did it to make a good impression on the new Grand Duchess, they won’t suspect much. And sincerely apologize to my mom. If she forgives you, I will forgive you too.”
At that, Anna’s face lit up with joy. She seemed to think that my mother, being such a kind person, would surely forgive her.
Well, I hope so, and I hope you pray hard. If I were my mother, I would have grabbed you by the hair and spun you around right away.
“Now go.”
“Yes! Thank you!”
After sending Anna off, I lay back down on the bed. I tossed and turned with various thoughts swirling in my mind, and before long, I fell asleep.
Recently, I had been having a variety of dreams, and this time, a very strange dream came to me.
I was wandering somewhere in the form of a small child, dressed in filthy clothes. No, it wasn’t just the dirtiness that was the problem.
I was so hungry that I could feel my stomach pressing against my back. It felt like it had been days since I last had a meal.
How on earth did I end up in such a pitiful state this time? Even in a dream, I really dislike this kind of dream. I wish I could wake up soon…
Just then, I saw a little girl passing by me.
The child was walking, holding her parents’ hands, and every now and then, she would swing her body as if riding a swing, laughing joyfully with her feet lifted off the ground. Her face was filled with happiness, and her parents looked at her with eyes full of affection.
I watched them as they gradually moved away. Before I knew it, I no longer felt hungry. Instead, I craved something else. It was the love of family, the kind of unconditional affection that I longed for.
I soon realized that hot tears were streaming down my cheeks. I didn’t know why I was crying. I just felt so envious of that child, who had her mom and dad by her side and could fully enjoy their love.
Why? I have a mom and dad now too.
“…Milady, are you alright?”
At that moment, someone gently shook me awake. When I opened my eyes, I saw the worried face of a maid looking at me.
“Milady, are you okay? Did you have a bad dream?”
“…Dream? Ah…”
In that moment, I felt a great sense of relief. It was just a dream. Thank goodness.
As the maid brought me a handkerchief, I wiped my wet cheeks with it.
“I thought you should eat dinner before it gets too late.”
“Has it really gotten that late already?”
Looking out the window, I could see the dusk settling in. There was also quite a commotion outside.
“What’s that noise?”
At my question, the maid let out a small sigh.
“Countess Portman is leaving for her family home today.”
“What?!”
Startled, I quickly got out of bed and rushed to the window. Just as the maid said, the carriage was being loaded with luggage. Having lived here for a long time, it seemed like there was an endless amount of baggage.
“What on earth happened?”
I had no idea what had transpired while I took a short nap.
“The Grand Duchess commanded her to leave.”
