Chapter 7.1

Even though I knew that once my mother slept, she couldn’t wake up for a few days, I was still disappointed.

I couldn’t wait for her to get up and tell her what happened.

I had to stay here. I have to become a family member here.

But my mother hasn’t woken up.

I forced myself to lie down in my mother’s arms.

“Mom… you know, I like you, Mom. All I need is you, Mom.”

If Mother loved me, that’s enough.

Even if people hit me, even if they abused me, if I have my mother, that’s enough for me.

‘Because she’s the only one who loves me.’

Her faint but intact heartbeat made me feel relieved as if it was a lullaby.

But such a time was also very brief.

***

A few minutes after Allen and Lexit left, the door handle creaked as if they were trying to open the locked door.

The sound came at an amazing timing, as if they had waited for the two to go.

But when the door I locked didn’t open, it was immediately knocked.

Bang bang.

“Open the door.”

“…”

“It’s Cecilia. I brought you a meal.”

“Leave it behind.”

I approached the door just in case my mother woke up.

“Open the door.”

“No.”

“If you keep doing this, I’ll bring you back to His Majesty.”

Cecilia’s voice was firm, thinking it would pose a great threat.

On the other hand, there was a smile on my face.

“That’s great, bring him here!”

I just had something to say, so that’s good.

I was very curious about whether she liked my present.

I just wanted to open the door right away and ask Cecilia to hurry up and visit the Grand Duke.

“…You think you’re so smart. You’ll regret it.”

“I don’t regret it, so just bring him here!”

Even with the thick door between us, I could hear Cecilia’s deep sigh.

Cecilia’s voice soon disappeared, perhaps to the Grand Duke.

“I was wondering how I could meet the Grand Duke again, so this is actually great.”

It was worth it to heighten my anticipation.

I clung to the door and waited to feel the wind pass by.

‘Because the Grand Duke is busy… I’m sure he’ll be here in half a day.’

The moment when I contemplated whether I should bring a chair and wait for the Grand Duke…

“Open the door.”

It was the Grand Duke.

Come on, he came too fast, even though he came earlier than expected. He came to me so fast that I thought he was waiting nearby.

I’d be really happy if he came soon. I opened the locked door wide open and welcomed him.

“Nice seeing you, Dad!”

Unexpectedly, the Grand Duke’s face instantly hardened at my remark.

I read in the book that a person should go out shamelessly, so I stepped forward more confidently.

“Dad?”

He looked completely different from what Cecilia and the others looked like. At least unlike anyone else, the Grand Duke was what I really needed.

The truth was, I’m afraid. His blue eyes were scary, but Cecilia, Allen, and Lexit were less scary. It’s even scarier because the Grand Duke was an adult man.

Yet I showed him the brightest smile I could ever wear.

‘I have to live.’

“Dad…”

I nodded my head even more when I saw him mumble a few words.

“Have you already decided to leave me here?”

“…Yes.”

Only then did he completely move into the door.

Cecilia tried to follow him inside, but the wind slammed the door tightly.

“Y-Your Grace!”

Her voice sounded low, but the Grand Duke cut her off relentlessly, as if he was showing her his usual self.

There was silence in the room right after the thud of the door.

“When I saw my sons find you, you decided something, right?”

“…”

“Besides, didn’t you think you needed me?”

He left me behind and sat down on the bed where my mother was lying, fearing it might be dangerous.

There was only a dull sound when he walked in the room.

Before I knew it, the Grand Duke, who came before me, looked down at me.

“You’re so confident. Aren’t you scared of me? If you heard a single rumor about me, you wouldn’t have come to me like this.”

“I know there’s a rumor going around that you’re the crazy Grand Duke. There’s also a rumor that you’ve gone crazy and killed your wife, and if you don’t like anything, you’ll kill anyone!”

I then smiled brightly, as if I didn’t know anything, just like a kid my age.

His face hardened for a moment.

“You sound like it’s nothing to you. What if I get mad at you for saying that?”

“I’m not afraid to die.”

And I would never treat you with an awful attitude.

I won’t look weak.

I won’t cry even if I wanted to. If it’s too hard, I won’t show any sadness.

Because the moment I look weak, I’ll seriously get eaten.

I have to be strong.