I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 29

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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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“What misunderstanding?”

“You, you glared at me fiercely, and then you…”

Mrs. Howard hesitated for a long while before finishing her words in a pitiful voice.

“You dumped dirty water all over me…”

“Milena did?!”

The shocked Duchess raised her voice.

Of course, it was true that Milena had done it.

But there was only circumstantial evidence, and in the end, she wasn’t proven to be the culprit.

Nevertheless, Mrs. Howard didn’t hesitate to pin the blame on Milena.

“I’m worried that you might be uncomfortable with me because of that incident.”

“Su, surely that can’t be.”

“I haven’t mentioned it until now because I was afraid it would make you uncomfortable, but I’m worried about what might happen if my relationship with the young lady continues to deteriorate…”

Mrs. Howard let her words trail off pitifully.

However, the Duchess still couldn’t hide her suspicious expression.

“I understand your concerns well. But did Milena really do such a thing?”

“Pardon?”

“From what I remember, I don’t think I ever received such a report from the Marquis’ Manor.”

The Duchess furrowed her brow as she asked again.

“At that time, Milena was a maid at the Marquis’ Manor, so if there had been a problem with you, who is a servant of the Duke’s household, I surely would have heard about it?”

How unnecessarily sharp of her.

Mrs. Howard clicked her tongue inwardly and put on a sorrowful expression as she answered.

“At that time… I asked them to keep it a secret.”

“You did?”

“Yes. After all, Miss Cecilia was also present at the time, and the Baron’s wife is your close friend, isn’t she?”

Mrs. Howard lowered her eyes as if she felt terribly guilty.

“I was worried that the matter might escalate, so I hid it, but if I’ve made you uncomfortable, I’m sorry.”

At those words, the Duchess’s expression softened somewhat.

Mrs. Howard didn’t miss the opportunity and persuaded the Duchess once more.

“I only want to serve both young ladies well. If there’s any misunderstanding, I’d like to clear it up.”

“Yes, how could I not know your sincerity?”

The Duchess nodded with a serious face.

“Don’t worry too much. I’ll have a good talk with her about it. Alright?”

“My lady…!”

Mrs. Howard clung to the Duchess with a face full of emotion.

Then she kept bowing her head repeatedly.

“I, I only have you, my lady. Thank you so much, truly.”

“What nonsense you speak. How could I not know how loyal you are?”

The Duchess smiled warmly with her eyes.

It was a kind smile that showed not even a trace of suspicion.

“Of course. Thanks to you, my lady, I feel somewhat at ease, truly…”

Mrs. Howard kept bowing her head and pouring out words of relief.

Because of that, the Duchess couldn’t see it.

The sinister smile that hung on Mrs. Howard’s lips.

* * *

I lay sprawled on the bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling.

‘Ugh, I’m dying…’

Good heavens, I had only tried on a few dresses.

I had no idea it would be this exhausting.

As I inwardly grimaced, the corners of my mouth soon went slack.

‘Still, today wasn’t as bad as I thought.’

For starters, it was encouraging that normal mother-daughter conversation had taken place between Cecilia and the Duchess.

Well, of course the Duchess was still somewhat indifferent even then.

‘No, there was no need to bring up paternity testing right there, was there?’

After being briefly sulky, I mulled over Cecilia’s reactions from today again.

Her serious face as she carefully selected accessories for me.

How she couldn’t help but laugh when I cheekily struck up a conversation with her using the ribbon as an excuse.

And when I called her ‘sister’…

‘She didn’t seem to dislike it.’

If I were to evaluate today overall, I think I could give it at least 80 out of 100 points.

‘Good. I’ll keep closing the distance like this!’

That moment of clenching my fists in determination was brief.

I slowly furrowed my brow.

There was actually something bothering me.

And that was.

‘The maids’ attitude.’

The maids who had been friendly to me until yesterday were now openly avoiding me today.

Their attitude had changed as quickly as flipping a palm.

Could Mrs. Howard’s influence really not have reached them?

I don’t think so.

‘Then I need to create a safety net for myself too.’

I bolted upright from my position.

That safety net would be…

* * *

A secluded warehouse on the outskirts of the Lusert townhouse.

Inside the warehouse where even sunlight barely penetrated, there was a maid cleaning alone.

The maid who had been mopping the floor for a while finally straightened her back.

“Ugh, my back.”

Just as the maid was groaning and patting her back.

“Hello?”

A cheerful voice greeted the maid.

“Kyaah!”

The startled maid quickly turned around.

At the same time, the maid’s expression hardened.

And for good reason, since the other person was the young lady who had newly entered the Duke’s household.

It was Milena, about whom rumors were rampant that she was ‘Lusert’s real daughter.’

“I, I greet Miss Milena.”

The maid quickly bowed her head.

Milena smiled brightly.

“Nice to meet you. I’ve been at the townhouse for a few days now… but this is the first time I’m seeing you?”

“…”

The maid’s young face filled with fear.

She couldn’t help it.

She had already received a warning from Mrs. Howard ‘not to make contact with Milena.’

“What’s your name?”

“Ma, Mathilde.”

The maid, Mathilde, tried to answer calmly.

But her body was a bit more honest.

Unable to overcome her nervousness, she was crumpling the hem of her apron.

Milena watched her with pitying eyes for a moment, then pretended not to notice anything and looked around.

“Are you cleaning alone? That must be hard.”

“I-It’s not hard.”

“Really?”

Milena narrowed her eyes as if surprised.

“To clean such a large warehouse all by yourself, you’d have to work straight until evening at least. Is it really not hard?”

“….”

“Usually they assign at least two people, don’t they?”

Mathilde finally broke down.

Originally, it was supposed to be two people working together.

But.

“You can handle this much, right?”

The maids who dumped all the work on Mathilde as if it were natural.

“Don’t make a fuss for no reason. Understood?”

Mrs. Howard who always pressured her with cold eyes.

All of this started when she thoughtlessly approached Cecilia and said, ‘The weather is very nice today, isn’t it?’

…If only she had known it would come to this, she wouldn’t have gone anywhere near Miss Cecilia.

‘I have to answer that it’s not hard.’

Mathilde gulped down her dry saliva.

She didn’t know what kind of retaliation she might face if she said it was hard here.

If she were to be kicked out of the Duke’s household and return to the days of begging on the streets….

But she couldn’t bring herself to open her lips.

Just as Mathilde was fidgeting restlessly.

“Oh, Miss?!”

Startled, Mathilde’s eyes widened.

Because Milena had suddenly grasped both of her hands tightly.

“You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to. But Mathilde.”

Honest green eyes looked straight into Mathilde’s eyes.

Meeting her gaze directly, Milena spoke clearly.

“I want to listen carefully to what you have to say.”

“….”

At that moment.

Cold mockery echoed in Mathilde’s ears.

“Do you think the high and mighty would actually listen to what you have to say?”

It was the first time.

The first person to step forward saying they would listen to her words.

At the same time, tears streamed down Mathilde’s cheeks.

“A-Actually….”

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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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