âDonât worry. Iâm awake right now!â
âHa⦠But, I canât do it anymore because Iâm nervous. If you want to go to the forest again, step on me!â
âIâm not going anymore!â
ââ¦What?â
Rather, Cecilia did not hide her embarrassment at my firm words.
âIt was really hard to go there, but Iâm not going to go again.ââ
âThatâs a relief, butâ¦â
âBut Cecilia is worried about me⦠I feel great.â
She smiled slightly, perhaps because she felt relieved only then.
âSigh⦠Really, My Ladyâ¦â
I got out of bed and approached Cecilia.
âMy Lady.â
âThank you.â
âThank youâ¦â
âJust⦠Thank you.â
Thank you for your sincere concern. Not all adults were bad, thanks to her.
There were good adults, too.
And Cecilia, who looked a little embarrassed by my appearance, smiled brighter than ever.
âIâve had four people, including Lady Bebe, but I think itâs the first time my heart has felt this way. It feels like Iâm seeing growing sprouts every day.â
âIâm a weed! I am growing way too fast. so it might be fun to watch.â
âWeedsâ¦â
âMore than that, Iâm slowly getting hungry.â
At those words, Cecilia looked brighter than ever.
âAh! Thereâs finally someone to eat with.â
âHuh? âFinally someone to eat withâ?â
âIn the meantime, I brought food into the room so that it wasnât obvious that you had collapsed. When I went out, I had to leave the empty bowl as if you ate it. But I couldnât eat all of it, so I threw food out the window toward the forest.â
âAh!â
âFortunately, you liked different types of bread, so I threw the bread and ate something simple. I used to eat to the point where I felt bloated every day.â
Cecilia, who had mumbled towards the end of her speech, showed a slight smile.
âThatâs a relief. Since the person whoâs going to eat is up, Iâll hurry up and go get ready.â
âYes! I like it!â
Cecilia, who smiled affectionately, stood up from her seat. Then she turned around as if she was about to get up. However, just before going out, she stuck out the parchment on the table as if she remembered something.
âBy the way, His Highness gave me this. He told me to give it to you when you wake up.â
âWhatâs this?â
âI donât know either. He didnât tell me what it was. So open it, My Lady. He gave it to me, saying you would definitely like it.â
âSomething Iâll like?â
âYes. Then, stay for a while. Iâll be right back?â
Cecilia quickly went out of the room, saying she was worried that I would be full.
Only after I heard the door closing, I slowly opened the parchment.
It was an affidavit.
I couldnât close my mouth for a moment. I read it again several times because I thought I saw something wrong after waking up, but what was written on the parchment paper was certainly the entry documents.
Itâs exactly what I left in the Grand Duke room last time.
âAh⦠Finally, finally! I can wake up my mom!â
[Entry permit document. I am officially acknowledging Bebe Avelant into the Grand Dukeâs family.]
My hands were shaking so much. It was more touching than when I saw it last time.
There was even a small note under the document.
[When your mom wakes up, ask for her name. Thatâs all you have to do to completely be my daughter. Now no one will think of you as an unnecessary person.]
My heart pounded.
It has finally been recognized. I could stay here.
I teared up.
âI⦠became useful.ââ
The emotion I felt over this one fact was overwhelming, as if it were compensating for everything I had gone through so far.
âI⦠I⦠I⦠I can live now. Here⦠â
Tears fell down.
Itâs a good thing, but I kept crying.
Even if I wiped my eyes with my hands, tears that came out didnât come off easily.
âMom⦠Mom. You can wake up now. We can live now.â
My voice kept shaking. I always spoke bravely when I talked to my mom, but my voice kept getting hoarse.
âMom, youâve always said, âIâm curious what Bebeâs like when sheâs six, seven, ten, or even after becoming an adult. How will my daughter grow up? Who will she meet in her life?â You know, Mom⦠now you can see me even when Iâm six, seven, ten, and even after becoming an adult. We can be together.â
I buried my face into my momâs chest.
My heart pounded.
I put my hand on my momâs body and desperately hoped for it.
âNow⦠wake up Mom. If you hear my voice⦠wake upâ¦â
I wiped away my tears in case my mother was surprised when she opened her eyes.
âWake up now. Mom.â
I got rid of the energy that loomed around on my motherâs body like fog.
Comments(0)
Join the discussion — sign in to leave a comment
Sign In to CommentNo comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!