I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 24

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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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Mrs. Howard concealed her satisfied expression and drove the point home once more.

“Still, it’s fortunate that I’m taking care of both of you. If I’m the only one suffering, then others won’t have to struggle.”

“Oh my, how touching…”

“You’re truly so considerate, ma’am.”

Just as they were all having a harmonious conversation together.

Click.

A faint presence was felt from the direction of the door.

The maids quickly turned around to look.

At the same time, joy appeared on the maids’ faces.

“What, isn’t that Mathilde?”

A small maid who was just about to enter the rest room stiffened her shoulders with a start when all eyes focused on her.

Another maid snorted loudly for her to hear.

“Really, where do you think you are to come here? How shameless.”

“You clung to Miss Cecilia trying to get some scraps, and yet.”

At that fierce reaction, fear spread across the maid’s young face.

Mathilde.

She was a maid that Mrs. Howard had brought, and a kind of ’emotional trash can.’

Since she had nowhere to go if not for the Duke’s household, there would be no trouble afterward.

Since creating a common enemy tends to unite everyone, Mrs. Howard deliberately orchestrated it that way.

That’s why the maids openly bullied Mathilde.

“In the first place, the only reason someone like you can work at the Duke’s household is because Mrs. Howard recommended you, isn’t it?”

“Really, so ungrateful.”

“Do you even know how much Mrs. Howard has suffered mentally because of you?”

After waiting until Mathilde had been sufficiently criticized.

Mrs. Howard stopped the maids with a satisfied face.

“Now, everyone stop.”

Mrs. Howard gracefully rose from her seat and approached Mathilde.

Mathilde looked up at Mrs. Howard with frightened eyes.

“Our Mathilde.”

Mrs. Howard whispered gently.

“Shall we have a little talk?”

After that.

Mrs. Howard took Mathilde and left the rest room.

The wide corridor without even a trace of people.

Heavy silence pressed down on Mathilde’s shoulders.

“…”

“…”

Just as Mathilde unconsciously swallowed her dry saliva.

Suddenly Mrs. Howard whipped around to face her.

“Who was it that found you a job when you had nowhere to go?”

Mathilde reflexively straightened her posture and answered.

“M-Mrs. Howard.”

“And yet you approached Miss Cecilia without even getting my permission. She’s already a sensitive person, but because of you, the young lady has become even more willful.”

Mrs. Howard sighed loudly for her to hear.

“Do you know how much I’ve suffered trying to soothe such a young lady?”

For a moment, a faint sense of injustice appeared in Mathilde’s eyes.

What was wrong with being kind to the family’s young lady?

Moreover, contrary to Mrs. Howard’s words, Cecilia wasn’t particularly sensitive or wayward in temperament.

Rather, she was quite careful, worried that she might cause problems…

But that resentful look disappeared as soon as she heard the following words.

“If it weren’t for me, you would have starved to death on the streets long ago. You know that, right?”

Mrs. Howard took a step closer to Mathilde.

Then, looking straight into Mathilde’s eyes, she continued speaking clearly.

“The only person who has helped you so far is me.”

“…”

“Remember this. You’re alone. I’m the only person you can rely on in this world.”

Mathilde’s gaze shook violently.

After remaining silent for a moment, Mathilde finally hung her head low.

“…Yes.”

Mrs. Howard wore a deep smile.

“Yes, you can make a mistake once.”

Mrs. Howard lightly patted Mathilde’s shoulder and concluded quite magnanimously.

“But you can’t keep making mistakes. Understood?”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind…”

* * *

At that time, at the Magic Tower.

Tower Master Dustin looked at the handsome young man in front of him with a displeased expression.

“Rudrick, you want to personally conduct the paternity test?”

“Yes, Tower Master.”

The young man across from him smiled as brilliantly as a flower.

However, that smile conveyed a will to absolutely not back down.

“I heard that blessed children can handle magic power?”

Blessed children.

Children who are very rarely born from Lusert’s bloodline, capable of handling magic power.

In this era where the lineage of mages had been completely severed, ‘blessed children’ were a tremendous blessing to the magic world.

Rudrick’s blue eyes sparkled like stars with anticipation.

“If that’s the case, I think it would be good for me, who can handle magic power, to meet her directly.”

“…”

Dustin’s expression hardened stiffly.

Rudrick Argent del Hessenberg.

In an age where magic had disappeared, a young man who awakened magic power and could be uniquely called a ‘mage.’

He acts selfishly as if he doesn’t care at all how others see him.

Nevertheless, his talent is real.

“What’s gotten into you to take interest in the Magic Tower’s affairs?”

Suppressing his rising displeasure, Dustin deliberately answered more leisurely.

“You’ve never shown any interest in requests coming to the Magic Tower before.”

Then Rudrick opened his eyes wide and.

“How unexpected.”

He struck right to the point without hesitation.

“I thought the Tower Master would already know why I want to take this request.”

“…”

Dustin clenched his molars tightly.

Yes, he actually knew.

The Empire’s only mage.

A young man who had lived his entire life alone as a ‘mage’ had discovered the possibility of meeting someone like himself for the first time.

It was natural for him to feel intense interest.

However, Dustin wanted to pretend not to know that fact as much as possible.

Because whenever he faced that fact…

‘Damn it.’

…he came to realize painfully that he himself, the Tower Master, was not a ‘mage.’

No matter how desperately he struggled and tried, he could never reach Rudrick.

Because Rudrick was fundamentally different from him.

Dustin felt that vast gap hit him anew like a slap to the face.

“I see. It makes sense for a mage who can handle magic to examine the ‘Blessed Child.'”

Dustin hid his twisted feelings inside and forced a hearty laugh for show.

“Since I can’t handle magic myself, I didn’t think that far ahead.”

“…Master of the Magic Tower?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

His tone was strangely barbed.

Rudrick keenly noticed the Magic Tower Master’s low mood as well.

‘Well, it can’t be helped.’

But he quickly dismissed it from his mind.

It couldn’t be helped.

The Magic Tower Master’s wariness toward him wasn’t new, and right now Rudrick’s interest was focused solely on the ‘Blessed Child.’

He had to meet that person immediately.

Until now, he had lived unable to truly plant his feet in this world, drifting alone.

But if someone like him existed in this world…

‘What kind of person are they?’

Thrilling anticipation swept through his entire body.

“Then I shall take my leave now.”

Rudrick rose from his seat with an elated feeling and bowed politely.

Then he left without looking back.

Dustin watched Rudrick’s retreating figure with sharp, blade-like eyes.

“Really, truly…”

Tap, tap tap, tap.

Dustin nervously drummed his fingers on the chair’s armrest, then finally couldn’t hold back and gripped it tightly.

“I don’t like it.”

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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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