I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 3
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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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The inside of the carriage was simply bleak.
The Duke with his gaze fixed on a small book.
The young Duke Elias, looking bored with his chin propped up, staring only out the window.
And Cecilia, quietly maintaining silence as if sitting on a bed of thorns.
It was the House of Lusert as usual.
Without a single word of conversation, this sense of alienation as if they were all scattered apart.
“Cecilia.”
Just then, the Duchess calmly opened her mouth.
Startled, Cecilia reflexively straightened her posture.
“The Baroness of Tranciere is my friend. So make sure to behave properly.”
The Duchess gave a gentle warning.
Cecilia quietly bowed her head and answered politely.
“Yes, Mother.”
Just then, the carriage stopped.
A servant from Tranciere politely opened the carriage door.
“I greet the House of Lusert.”
With the servant’s escort, the family members began getting out of the carriage one by one.
Cecilia just stared blankly at their retreating figures.
It felt like someone was strangling her neck with all their might.
…She could barely breathe.
* * *
A week passed like that.
I was very anxious about possibly running into the House of Lusert, but surprisingly I was able to avoid them quite easily.
The high-ranking people and a mere maid hardly had overlapping spheres of activity.
Moreover, there was one piece of good news.
“Today the distinguished guests went out for hot spring baths. I heard they’re expected to return around evening?”
My friend Amanda had quietly tipped me off.
And so currently.
I was alone in the Tranciere Manor backyard.
Since maids don’t officially have break time, we have to rest tactfully at times like this.
Also, I told Amanda to definitely call me if anything happened.
So there shouldn’t be any problems.
“Uaahhh.”
As I stretched fully, a strange groan naturally flowed from my mouth.
“Ugh, I’m so stiff I could die.”
As I rolled my shoulders in circles and moved my neck this way and that, my stiff body finally seemed to loosen up a bit.
“But it’s a bit cold…”
I gently rubbed my arms.
The clear air was nice, but since it was still early spring, the day was rather chilly.
But I didn’t want to go inside already.
I’d been cooped up in the manor all day cleaning like crazy.
‘Should I walk a bit?’
As I was walking as the mood struck me.
I suddenly stopped in my tracks.
“…Sniff.”
Because I heard someone’s suppressed sobbing.
As if barely managing to release grief that had been held down for a long time.
It was very small and fragile crying.
‘What’s this?’
I unconsciously turned my head toward where the sound came from.
And I ended up seeing it.
Behind a large tree, the hem of a purple dress was sticking out!
The owner of that obviously expensive dress hem was…
‘Amanda!’
I screamed internally.
‘You said the distinguished guests went out for hot spring baths today!!’
I desperately racked my brain.
There are only two people in the manor who could wear such a high-class dress.
First is the only daughter of the Tranciere Baron family.
Second is the original story’s female protagonist, namely Cecilia… but that’s too terrible so I want to believe it’s not her.
Even thinking as positively as possible and assuming that lady is the Tranciere Baron’s daughter.
‘I’ve ended up seeing a high-ranking young lady crying?’
This is the worst…
Generally, noble young ladies have really strong pride.
They’d think being caught crying itself is shameful!
‘No, I didn’t see anything.’
I gulped down dry saliva.
If I just back away now, it’ll be as if nothing happened.
That mysterious young lady would probably prefer that I pretend not to have seen.
That’s why she came all the way out to this secluded backyard to hide, right?
With that thought, I was stealthily backing away.
Crack!
‘Oh, no way.’
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Please, someone, anyone, tell me what I stepped on wasn’t a tree branch.
Really, nothing goes right!
“Who’s there!!”
A sharp voice rang out clearly.
At the same time, the figure hiding behind the thick tree suddenly stood up.
Then glared at me with fierce eyes.
‘Wow.’
Even in my confusion, I was speechless.
Perfectly curved almond-shaped eyes.
Snow-white skin without a speck of dust.
A deer-like slender neck.
Her moist blue-green eyes resembled a summer forest after rain, and her abundant wheat-colored hair brought to mind a well-ripened wheat field.
Throughout my past and present life, I’d never seen such overwhelming beauty.
That’s practically an angel descended from heaven, isn’t it?
…However, the problem was.
Cecilia terribly hated both her wheat-colored hair and blue-green eyes.
No matter how desperately she groomed her appearance, it couldn’t compare to Milena’s bright blonde hair and radiant green eyes.
This dull coloring seemed to prove that she was Milena’s imitation.
No matter how hard she tried, she felt she could never reach the ‘real daughter’…
That was it.
The worst situation had arrived.
‘Why is Cecilia here?!’
Cecilia growled fiercely.
“You, how long have you been here?”
“J-just now.”
At that answer, Cecilia stared at me with suspicious eyes, boring right through me.
I hastily added my words.
“Really! I just came out to get some fresh air, but I heard a strange sound…”
Oh no.
At the gaze that instantly became even sharper, I trailed off my words.
It seems she’s quite embarrassed about being caught crying.
But it’s so obvious that she was crying just by looking at her.
Her reddened eyes and tightly pressed lips.
Her butterfly-like fluttering eyelashes were completely soaked.
“You.”
Cecilia, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly called out to me.
Then she continued ominously.
“…If you dare go around talking about me elsewhere, I really won’t let it slide.”
“Yes, of course.”
I nodded my head enthusiastically.
“I didn’t meet anyone today, and I didn’t see anything.”
However, Cecilia still had a cold expression.
“How can I trust you?”
Ah, have you been deceived your whole life?
Well, you might not know this yet, female protagonist,
But my life goal is ‘absolutely never get involved with the original story’?
But Cecilia, who couldn’t possibly know such a fact, threatened me quietly with an even colder face, thinking who knows what.
“If you go somewhere and say that I was crying… *sniff*.”
Sniff?
For a moment I doubted my ears.
Did that ice-like princess just… sniffle right now?
“…!”
Cecilia flinched and stiffened her shoulders, then hurriedly took out a handkerchief to compose her face.
But her pretty face was already heated up red like a ripe tomato.
Her blue-green eyes that had been shaking without knowing what to do soon began glaring at me with a terrifying intensity.
‘I’m, I’m doomed.’
No, it’s not like I made you cry, so why are you acting like that…
I’m the one who wants to cry?!
‘Wait.’
At that moment my eyes flashed open.
Cecilia right now doesn’t want to be caught having cried.
That means.
As long as the person who was crying isn’t Cecilia, it’ll be fine?!
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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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