I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 22

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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That evening.

Milena entered the dining room with a tense expression and unconsciously stiffened her shoulders.

The Lusert family members who were already seated at the table turned to look at Milena like meerkats.

Wh-what is this.

This excessive attention…?

“Come in, Milena.”

The Duke, seated at the head of the table, welcomed Milena with a bright smile.

“Aren’t you hungry? I told them to serve the meal once you arrived.”

The Duchess couldn’t hide her happy expression,

“Our chef is quite skilled. You can look forward to it.”

Elias also spoke warmly.

I appreciate your consideration, but…

Having all this attention focused on me is a bit overwhelming…

A calm voice reached Milena’s ears as she forced an awkward smile.

“Welcome back to the Lusert Estate, Milena.”

It was Cecilia, elegantly dressed.

Cecilia, who had been looking at Milena with an unreadable expression, soon gently lifted the corners of her mouth.

It was truly a perfect ‘princess smile.’

“Hurry and take your seat. Mother, Father, and Oppa have been waiting for you.”

“Ah, yes.”

Milena carefully took her seat.

At the same time, dishes began to be brought out from the kitchen one by one.

Milena’s eyes widened.

‘My goodness.’

They were truly luxurious dishes.

An appetizer that looked like a flower, with rolled crimson salmon topped with colorful sauce.

Premium steak grilled with plenty of butter and garnished with various accompaniments.

Warm soup to heat the body and fresh salad, among other things.

The feast laid out enough to break the table legs steamed with hot vapor.

However, the problem was.

‘What kind of food is this?’

Milena gazed at the elaborate feast before her with anxious eyes.

Unfamiliar foods she had no idea how to eat.

Prettily folded napkins.

Even the gleaming silverware lined up on the table.

Of course, she understood well that the Lusert Estate had put maximum effort into the meal to welcome her.

But looking at those fancy dishes, rather than feeling appetite…

‘What if I make a mistake?’

She felt somehow overwhelmed.

“I do hope the food is to your liking.”

Just then, the Duchess spoke with a pleased voice.

“Go ahead and eat. Hmm?”

“Ah, yes.”

At that gentle urging, Milena swallowed her dry saliva and gripped her utensils.

But her troubled expression remained.

Because.

‘Is this how you do it?’

Milena had no idea how to handle the utensils.

Cold sweat ran down her spine.

‘I mean, I’ve never learned how to use utensils like this!’

It couldn’t be helped.

Milena had lived as a commoner until now.

She had never even encountered dining etiquette from noble families in her life.

Also, since she was just an ordinary Korean in her previous life, she couldn’t be familiar with this Western-style dining.

But the family members, unaware of Milena’s inner turmoil, were simply smiling brightly.

But then.

Clink.

The sound of utensils clinking rang out softly.

Milena reflexively glanced up.

Cecilia was sitting across from her.

It seemed she had deliberately made noise with her utensils to get her attention.

“…”

“…”

For a moment, their gazes met.

Cecilia’s eyes, which had been staring intently at Milena, sank deeply.

It was a strangely complex expression.

But that was only for a moment.

Cecilia began to elegantly handle her utensils as if nothing had happened.

She sat with her back straight, holding her utensils high so her hands were clearly visible.

Her posture looked like an exemplary illustration from an etiquette textbook.

‘Could it be… she wants me to watch and follow along?’

A spark of understanding flashed in Milena’s eyes.

‘That’s right, that’s how it was.’

Actually, in the original story, Cecilia hadn’t been hostile to Milena from the beginning either.

Rather, when Milena first returned to the Duke’s house, she had tried to get along with her in her own way.

Of course, the original Milena had trampled all over those efforts… anyway.

“Thank you, sister.”

At the sudden expression of gratitude, Cecilia looked up with a surprised expression.

Milena was now looking at Cecilia with moist green eyes.

“Sister, you’ve really been good to me since long ago.”

“…Me?”

“Of course. Just like now.”

Milena smiled with her eyes.

“You knew I couldn’t handle utensils well, so you deliberately showed me so I could follow along easily, right?”

“…”

“…”

Suddenly, the surroundings became quiet as if cold water had been poured over them.

That was right.

At this dinner table, no one had noticed that Milena didn’t know how to properly handle utensils.

Only Cecilia had.

The family members couldn’t hide their bewildered expressions.

After a moment.

“Cecilia, you’re being a proper older sister.”

The Duke nodded and spoke.

The Duchess also looked at Cecilia with admiring eyes.

At her parents’ favorable reaction, Cecilia’s cheeks turned as red as ripe apples.

‘Good, since it’s come to this.’

Taking advantage of the momentum, Milena clung to Cecilia.

“Sister, could you teach me a little more? I’ve never seen utensils like these in my life…”

Milena trailed off with a dejected expression.

At that pitiful sight, even Cecilia’s expressionless face softened a little.

“You use the utensils starting from the ones placed on the outside.”

Cecilia, who had been slyly watching her parents’ reactions, finally opened her mouth primly.

“The small fork and knife are for eating appetizers, and the large fork and knife are for the main course.”

“Oh, is that how it works?”

“The servants will replace the used utensils for you.”

“Wow, thanks to you, sister, I understand a bit now. Thank you.”

And so Milena continued her meal with Cecilia’s help.

The Duchess, who had been watching with pleased eyes, opened her mouth with an apologetic expression.

“We should have thought about this beforehand, but I’m sorry for putting you in a difficult position.”

“Yes, we were rather lacking in consideration.”

The Duke also offered words of apology with a sigh.

“No, it’s fine.”

Milena shook her head and spoke to Cecilia with sparkling eyes.

“Um, I’d like to learn a lot more from you in the future, Sister Cecilia.”

What?

Cecilia’s eyes widened slightly.

Milena concluded with a bright voice.

“I want to become a wonderful lady like you, sister.”

At those words, her blue-green eyes shook violently.

A wonderful lady.

Living as the ‘fake princess of Lusert’ all this time, it was truly the first time she had ever heard such words.

…She had always only been pointed at behind her back.

“No, it’s nothing special…”

Cecilia, who had reflexively tried to offer modest words, hesitated.

Because Milena’s gaze looking at her seemed strangely earnest.

Why was that.

This child who would soon take hold of everything she had wanted… why was she making such an expression.

As if her approval was absolutely necessary.

Looking at those desperate eyes reminded her of herself, struggling desperately to gain her family’s approval…

“…Yes, you’ll be able to become a wonderful lady.”

Only then did Milena smile brightly as if relieved.

And facing that smile, Cecilia felt strangely peculiar.

Just when they had started eating earlier.

She remembered the expression Milena had made when faced with the unfamiliar dining table.

Though she had hastily hidden her expression, perhaps conscious of other people’s gazes.

Even so, Cecilia couldn’t help but recognize that emotion.

Bewilderment.

Wounded pride.

And intense shame that couldn’t be completely hidden.

It was a very familiar emotion that Cecilia had lived with her entire life.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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