I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 39

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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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‘Is something wrong?’

 

Confused, I whispered to him.

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

“Well…”

 

The young Duke trailed off.

 

“Do you have something to say to Cecilia?”

 

“No, I don’t.”

 

The young Duke reflexively answered firmly and shook his head, then looked intently at Cecilia again.

 

Hmm, they say too strong a denial is actually an affirmation?

 

Just as I couldn’t hide my suspicious gaze.

 

“…You know, about Cecilia.”

 

The young Duke spoke quietly while keeping his eyes fixed on Cecilia.

 

“She must have had a really hard time because of the governess… no, Mrs. Howard, right?”

 

Why is he asking such an obvious question?

 

“Even if there were misunderstandings because of Mrs. Howard, that’s still just an excuse.”

 

“…”

 

The young Duke’s face was very dark as he muttered this.

 

At the same time, my eyes lit up like a hawk’s.

 

‘Wait, could this be…?’

 

It seems like the young Duke is also reflecting on how he was manipulated by Mrs. Howard.

 

If so, couldn’t I use this opportunity to close the distance between Cecilia and the young Duke, even a little?

 

“Um, Oppa?”

 

I casually started talking to the young Duke.

 

Purple eyes that looked exactly like the Duchess’s turned to me, filled with complex emotions.

 

“If you’re really that concerned about Cecilia, why don’t you comfort her directly?”

 

“…Me?”

 

The young Duke’s gaze wavered intensely.

 

I smiled brightly, pretending to know nothing.

 

“Yes, I’m sure she’d be happy too.”

 

“…”

 

At those words, the young Duke fell silent for a long time.

 

Finally.

 

“But… I’ve been too cruel to Cecilia until now.”

 

A voice like a sigh flowed out.

 

The young Duke gave a bitter smile.

 

“Actually, Cecilia probably doesn’t even want my comfort. All her affection for me has probably already dried up…”

 

“No, Oppa.”

 

I shook my head and continued firmly.

 

“You know how much she loves her family.”

 

The young Duke’s eyes trembled slightly.

 

I smiled with my eyes.

 

“If you speak honestly, she’ll definitely accept it.”

 

“…”

 

At those words, the young Duke clenched his fists tightly.

 

After hesitating for a long time, he carefully asked me.

 

“Do you really think so?”

 

“Of course. And even if she doesn’t accept it, you still need to apologize to her directly, Oppa.”

 

The young Duke’s face hardened with a thud.

 

An expression as if he’d been slapped.

 

But I didn’t stop talking.

 

After all, I had planned to address this point from the beginning.

 

“You admitted yourself that you’ve been cruel to her until now, right? If you did something wrong, you should say you’re sorry.”

 

“Yes, you’re right. You are, but…”

 

But the young Duke still just hemmed and hawed, showing no signs of moving easily.

 

Ugh, this is so frustrating!

 

“Oppa, you know the saying that starting is half the battle, right?”

 

My eyes gleamed with a crazed light.

 

“So, I’ll help you get started.”

 

“What? Hey, wait…!”

 

The startled young Duke tried to stop me, but it was already too late.

 

I raised my voice loudly.

 

“Cecilia!!!”

 

At that shout, Cecilia turned around quickly.

 

Her pretty blue-green eyes widened.

 

“Milena? …Oppa too?”

 

The stiffly frozen young Duke looked down at me with desperate eyes.

 

‘H-how am I supposed to handle this?!’

 

I gave him a wicked smile.

 

“Come on, let’s go apologize quickly.”

 

“No, it’s not that I won’t apologize…!”

 

“Don’t you want to see her smile?”

 

At that question, a faint light returned to his troubled purple eyes.

 

* * *

 

The weather was very pleasant.

 

The garden trees touched by the gardener’s hands showed off their fresh green color.

 

The flowers blooming in clusters in the flower beds shone in various colors, absorbing the sunlight.

 

Cecilia suddenly stopped walking.

 

As she looked at the blue-green foliage swaying in the breeze, someone came to mind.

 

That child who always looked at her with honest eyes.

 

Milena.

 

The real daughter of the Duke’s household.

 

…And also the child who had acknowledged her as ‘family’ without hesitation.

 

“Where else could you find someone as wonderful as you!”

 

“I’ve always wanted to become someone like you!!”

 

Even in front of Mrs. Howard who was slandering her, Milena never once wavered.

 

She boldly declared in front of everyone that she ‘liked Cecilia.’

 

Honestly, those words had been a great comfort.

 

That’s why Cecilia felt even heavier at heart.

 

She remembered her own pettiness in trying to distance herself from Milena and draw lines.

 

“Anyway, all the other family members have accepted you as their ‘real daughter.’ A fake like me is anyway…”

 

When she had lost her reason and spoken so bitterly.

 

Milena’s truly hurt expression was still vivid before her eyes.

 

‘I was too harsh with my words then.’

 

She needed to apologize somehow.

 

But whenever she faced Milena, her lips just wouldn’t open.

 

Just as Cecilia was sighing deeply.

 

“Cecilia!!!”

 

Suddenly a cheerful voice called out to Cecilia.

 

Cecilia stiffened her shoulders in surprise and hurriedly turned around.

 

In the distance, Milena and Elias were standing there.

 

‘Milena? …Oppa too?’

 

But then.

 

Milena suddenly started whispering something to Elias.

 

‘What are they talking about?’

 

Cecilia looked at the two of them with a puzzled expression.

 

Elias seemed somewhat troubled, and Milena appeared to be comforting him.

 

This went on for a while.

 

“Oppa says he has something to tell you, Cecilia.”

 

Milena spoke with a bright smile on her face.

 

“Right, Oppa?”

 

“Y, yes.”

 

…Was it just her imagination, or did that smiling face somehow feel strangely pressuring?

 

Elias hesitantly stepped forward.

 

But he couldn’t easily find the words.

 

He just moved his lips several times, hesitating for a long while.

 

‘What on earth is he trying to say?’

 

Cecilia’s expression grew serious as well.

 

“I think I’ve been too… cold to you all this time.”

 

…Those were words she never expected to hear.

 

Cecilia stared blankly at Elias.

 

But Elias’s strange behavior didn’t end there.

 

“I want to apologize for how I’ve acted until now. I’m really sorry.”

 

Elias bowed his head deeply toward Cecilia.

 

“My goodness, why are you doing this! Please get up quickly!”

 

Startled, Cecilia hurriedly helped Elias up from his position.

 

Elias couldn’t dare meet Cecilia’s eyes.

 

Instead, he carefully continued speaking.

 

“I’ve been misunderstanding you all along.”

 

“Misunderstanding?”

 

“Yes. Because of you….”

 

A quiet voice flowed from his lips as he kept his head down.

 

“I thought my real sister, who might return someday, would feel uncomfortable.”

 

“….”

 

Cecilia stiffened.

 

His stammering voice continued, barely holding together.

 

“Actually, there’s something Mrs. Howard always said….”

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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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