I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 33
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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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“Please have one as well, Miss.”
“Should I?”
Only then did Milena pick up a cookie.
“It’s delicious.”
As Milena crunched on the cookie, her gaze became filled with longing.
“I wish I could let my mother taste this cookie too.”
“Your mother?”
Isn’t the Miss’s mother the Madam?
Perhaps noticing that question, Milena readily added an explanation.
“Oh, I mean the mother who raised me.”
Her green eyes that had been shining brightly darkened like a rain-soaked forest.
“Actually, my mother’s health isn’t good. She’s currently recuperating in the Southern Empire, so I’m a bit worried.”
“Is she very ill?”
“No, but I heard she’s receiving good treatment. I’m planning to send her a letter soon.”
Though she tried to answer brightly, Milena’s expression remained dark.
Mathilde carefully opened her mouth.
“Actually, our mother was also very sick before she passed away.”
“Really? That must have been very hard for you, Mathilde.”
“But it’s been a long time, so I’m okay now. Are you alright, Miss?”
“Hmm…”
Milena, who had been trailing off for a moment, continued with a sigh mixed in her words.
“I’m not sure. The Duke’s household has agreed to proceed with my mother’s treatment no matter what, but the paternity test isn’t far off now, right? So I’m a bit nervous, and my feelings are all mixed up.”
“Mixed up?”
“Yeah. Of course I’d be happy if I’m truly the Duke’s daughter… but then would I have two mothers?”
Milena looked quite dejected as she said this.
Mathilde didn’t dare to speak up.
But that was only for a moment.
“Oh my, I’ve only been talking about depressing things.”
Milena quickly got up from her seat and turned to look at Mathilde.
She placed her index finger straight over her lips and gave a bright eye-smile.
“Say, could you keep what you heard today a secret?”
“Of course, Miss.”
Mathilde quickly nodded her head.
“Then I’ll be going now. See you again.”
And so Milena fluttered away like a butterfly.
Left alone, Mathilde found herself thinking without realizing it.
She hoped that Miss Milena would turn out to be the true daughter of this family.
So that…
‘I hope she’ll stay by my side for a long, long time.’
* * *
A few days later.
Someone from the Mage Tower visited to conduct my paternity test.
But who that person was…
‘No way, that person… could it be the person I’m thinking of?!’
I was shocked for a moment as I entered the drawing room where the Duke’s family was waiting.
Beneath jet-black hair that seemed to embody the night sky, ice-blue eyes shone languidly like glacial waters.
Flawlessly smooth skin without a speck of dust.
Sharp jawline and elegant bearing.
A beautiful young man with delicate features like a glass artwork crafted meticulously by the gods.
That appearance felt very familiar to me… was it simply my imagination?
“Milena, this is His Highness the Second Prince Rudrick.”
Just then, the Duke introduced him to me.
Right, it really is the male protagonist…
I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again.
The second prince of the Hessenberg Empire and the only ‘mage.’
Rudrick Argent del Hessenberg.
One of the main characters of this world was standing right before my eyes!
‘This is strange, there’s still a long way to go before the male protagonist appears?!’
That’s because Rudrick only first appears after Cecilia is kicked out of the Duke’s household.
Rudrick, who had no interest in worldly affairs and remained aloof and alone.
The first person to spark his curiosity was none other than Cecilia.
Thus, Rudrick became interested in Cecilia’s ‘desire for revenge’ and actively helped her.
This alone was maddening enough, but there was an even bigger problem.
In the original story, Rudrick deeply despised Milena…
The reason was simple.
‘Because Milena had unrequited love for Rudrick!’
She didn’t just quietly harbor unrequited love, but followed him around to an almost stalking level!
“Why on earth did you choose Cecilia?”
“That girl is fake. I’m the real Duke’s daughter!”
…She would spout such shameful lines without any hesitation.
Well, fortunately, this was still the very beginning of the original story.
Since I haven’t gotten involved with Rudrick at all yet, I need to keep my wits about me from now on.
So that His Highness the male protagonist won’t become an accomplice to Cecilia’s revenge.
I have to make a good impression somehow!
“I greet Your Highness the Prince.”
I hid my nervous expression and hurriedly bowed my head.
Rudrick gently shook his head.
“That’s not necessary. I’m not here as the Second Prince today.”
Then he took out an elegant wooden box and made eye contact with me while giving a gentle eye-smile.
“Now, Miss Milena. This way.”
“…”
Honestly, his beauty was too unfair.
Moreover, the person who used to look at Milena like she was a bug in the original story was now being so kind.
I really couldn’t get used to it…?
“Miss Milena?”
“Ah, yes.”
I hesitantly moved toward the table where the wooden box was placed.
The object inside that box was.
‘A silver bowl?’
It was a silver bowl with delicately drawn magic circles.
‘Come to think of it, that magical tool appeared in the original story too.’
You light a fire inside it and put body parts of parent and child.
If they share the same bloodline, the color of the flames changes to gold.
In the original story, they cut hair and put it in.
‘Then we need to bring fire first…’
As I was thinking that.
Rudrick casually snapped his fingers.
Snap!
A spark bloomed from his fingertip in the shape of a butterfly.
The crimson butterfly fluttered its wings gently and settled softly inside the silver bowl.
Whoosh!
A fierce flame blazed up.
At the same time, the magic circle engraved on the silver bowl emitted a soft glow.
Exclamations burst out from all around.
“Oh my goodness.”
The Duchess’s eyes sparkled,
“Magic is truly amazing.”
The young Duke couldn’t hide his surprised expression.
“That reputation as the Empire’s only mage is no empty title, Your Highness.”
And the Duke smiled broadly as he praised Ludrick.
However, among them all, the only person who couldn’t rejoice was…
‘Cecilia.’
My mood sank completely.
Cecilia was staring quietly at the silver bowl with a calm face.
She appeared composed on the surface, but tension she couldn’t quite hide seeped through her tightly pressed lips.
“Duke and Duchess, and Miss Milena.”
Just then, Ludrick spoke up.
“Please each cut off a small bit of your hair.”
First the Duke, then the Duchess cut their hair in turn.
Finally, a maid carefully handed me the silver scissors.
‘Phew.’
Taking a deep breath, I brought the scissors to my hair.
Snip.
A strand of golden hair was caught in my grasp.
“Everyone is finished.”
Ludrick nodded lightly and snapped his fingers again.
The three people’s hair floated softly through the air.
The first to fall over the flames was the Duke’s hair.
The reddish-brown hair silently melted into the flames, followed by the Duchess’s blonde hair falling down.
“…”
“…”
The ducal family swallowed their dry saliva.
I could see the Duke gently grasping his wife’s hand.
In the midst of this strange tension.
Whoooosh-.
The crimson flames turned a brilliant golden color.
The Duke and Duchess and young Duke, who had been watching anxiously, became filled with joy.
It was the moment when a light of resignation saying ‘I knew it would be like this’ settled in Cecilia’s eyes.
Ludrick smiled brightly and declared.
“Miss Milena is indeed the biological child of you both.”
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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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