I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 54

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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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“I hate seeing you treated unfairly by others, and I hate seeing you struggling alone like this.”

“…Milena.”

“It’s only natural for family members to care for and look after each other.”

Milena gazed at Cecilia with earnest eyes.

And she concluded with emphasis.

“So, could you please trust me a little?”

“….”

Cecilia reflected on the past.

Before Milena came, no matter what happened, she always ended up being the bad person in the end.

But ever since Milena arrived, Cecilia’s life had completely changed.

Mrs. Howard, who had tormented Cecilia her entire life, was gone.

Throughout that process, Milena had consistently supported Cecilia.

She had called her family.

…Then.

‘Maybe this time too… I can trust her.’

With that thought, Cecilia reluctantly parted her lips.

“It’s just that I couldn’t keep up with the lessons properly… It’s my fault.”

“You couldn’t keep up with the lessons properly?”

“Yes. I showed disappointing behavior. The teacher was also doing it all for my sake….”

Cecilia tried to take the teacher’s side somehow.

Then Milena’s expression grew serious.

“So all of this is your fault, and the teacher is simply acting this way for your benefit?”

“…That’s.”

“You already know, don’t you? No matter what the reason, you shouldn’t hit people like that.”

At those words, Cecilia’s gaze grew dim.

Because she already knew the truth.

That the teacher had never once cared for her.

…And she herself was just as pathetic.

Even while facing those contemptuous looks, she tried to think positively somehow.

That pitiful state of only watching the teacher’s mood while not taking care of herself at all.

“You don’t need to speak well of the teacher. Just tell me exactly what happened.”

Milena concluded firmly.

After hesitating for a long while, Cecilia finally parted her lips.

“We practiced greetings and walking gracefully… but it seems the teacher wasn’t pleased.”

Starting with those words, Cecilia confessed everything that had happened.

How there had been corporal punishment out of others’ sight.

And how the Countess had disguised it as ‘teaching.’

“But, but the teacher asked me how much teaching I was willing to receive. So strictly speaking, this was by mutual agreement….”

She tried to speak as calmly as possible, but once she started talking about it, she somehow felt a little choked up.

Feeling a sting in her nose, Cecilia bit her lips tightly to control her emotions.

As for Milena’s feelings after hearing all of this.

‘Wow, how can someone’s life be this tragic….’

Of course, she had read the original story, but seeing it with her own eyes was even more shocking.

Personally, the Countess of Seres felt much more vicious than Mrs. Howard.

Especially the direct violence and gaslighting her into thinking they had ‘mutually agreed’ to it was the worst part.

“Where did you get the ointment?”

“The teacher gave it to me.”

“….”

Milena’s expression soured once again.

Because it was obvious she had done it deliberately to hide the fact that she had hit her.

Meanwhile, noticing that Milena’s mood was plummeting, Cecilia hurriedly continued.

“But she was worried about me, so she gave me that precious ointment, right?”

“No.”

Milena shook her head firmly.

“Sister. That’s not because she was worried about you.”

“….”

“Since she dared to use violence against a daughter of House Lusert, she tried to hide it as much as possible for fear of being criticized by others. Don’t you think so too?”

“….”

Cecilia remained silent.

Because she thought Milena’s words were absolutely right.

Milena, who let out a deep sigh, posed a question.

“How about telling Mother?”

At those words, Cecilia’s face turned pale.

“No, that won’t do!”

Cecilia reflexively raised her voice.

Milena tilted her head sideways.

“Why not?”

“Mother would, to me….”

Trailing off for a moment, Cecilia frantically clutched at her skirt.

A voice as small as a mosquito’s flowed from between her half-open lips.

“…She would be disappointed.”

“Why do you think that?”

“The, the teacher is someone who taught Mother.”

Cecilia continued urgently.

“What if accusing such a person causes unnecessary trouble for the household? And about the corporal punishment too. First, the teacher asked for my opinion…. I said I would accept the punishment myself!”

Cecilia continued rambling incoherently.

Watching her, completely consumed by fear, Milena suddenly posed a question.

“Sister. Do you want to continue living like this then?”

“….”

At that question, Cecilia’s expression completely crumpled.

Biting her lips until they bled, Cecilia muttered quietly.

“…No.”

That devastated face was so pitiful that even Milena, watching her, felt her heart ache.

Swallowing a sigh, Milena carefully opened her mouth.

“How about just trying to tell Mother?”

“But….”

“There are even traces of corporal punishment. Mother wouldn’t turn away even after seeing those wounds.”

Milena continued earnestly.

However, Cecilia shook her head back and forth.

“I want to try enduring it a little longer first.”

“Sister, what do you mean…!”

“You know, Milena.”

A bitter smile appeared on Cecilia’s lips.

“At today’s meal. It was the first time I saw Mother so happy.”

“….”

Milena, who had been trying to persuade Cecilia all along, was finally at a loss for words.

Cecilia’s sad smile deepened a little more.

“Mother… smiled because of me.”

At those words, the Duchess’s shy smile came to Milena’s mind.

“More than that, to think I was used as an example… I’m a bit embarrassed.”

“I’ll have to work harder from now on, won’t I? So I won’t be ashamed in front of our Cecilia.”

The Duchess saying those words looked truly happy.

Cecilia forced herself to speak in a bright voice.

“Back then, I was really happy.”

“…Sister Cecilia.”

“It’s true that Teacher was harsh with me. But it’s also true that Teacher is helping the relationship between me and Mother.”

Cecilia hung her head low.

As if she didn’t have the courage to look directly into Milena’s eyes.

“Of course, it might seem foolish to you, Milena… but still, I…”

Cecilia’s voice trailed off, trembling terribly.

After a moment of silence, Milena finally shook her head.

“It doesn’t look foolish at all.”

“…!”

Cecilia immediately lifted her head up.

Toward Cecilia, who looked like she might collapse at any moment, Milena smiled warmly.

It was sincere.

In this situation, the perpetrator and victim were clear.

What was wrong with the victim being manipulated by the perpetrator?

Rather, wasn’t the surrounding situation that drove Cecilia to that point the real problem?

“So, you’ll keep it a secret, right?”

Cecilia looked at Milena with desperate eyes.

Milena swallowed the sigh that was about to escape and asked a question.

“By any chance, when is the Countess of Seres’s next lesson?”

“In a week.”

After thinking for a moment, Milena shook her head.

“For now, I can’t just let this matter slide.”

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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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