I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 63

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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 widened my eyes in surprise.

Of course, it’s not that I dislike the Imperial Palace.

I wanted to see the Four Seasons Garden, which is said to be the Imperial Palace’s famous attraction, and I was curious about the Imperial Palace Library, which supposedly houses all the ancient books in the world.

But in the Imperial Palace…

‘The First Prince would be there, wouldn’t he?’

The First Prince, Benjamin Cryson Del Hessenberg.

His face was reasonably handsome, but among readers of the original work, ‘The Villainess’s Descent to Heaven,’ his reputation was the worst.

May he stub his little toe on a doorstep while walking and drop out.

Such comments would rise to become the top comments.

Ah, does that comment seem familiar?

Of course it does.

It was paired with comments about Milena: ‘It would be fine if Milena suddenly tripped over a stone and dropped out, so please get rid of her quickly, please…’

Ha, let me wipe away these tears.

The First Prince was Rudrick’s half-brother and trash who repeatedly tested Cecilia, relying only on his status as a prince.

Moreover, his relationship with Rudrick was also terrible.

While Rudrick was a legitimate son born to the former Empress, the First Prince was an illegitimate son born to an Imperial Consort who had been a maid.

The Imperial Consort had originally been the Empress’s maid, I believe?

The former Empress suffered extreme stress from the betrayal of her trusted maid and reportedly passed away immediately after giving birth to Rudrick.

‘Are you really sure it’s okay?’

I was about to ask that unconsciously but quickly swallowed my words.

I might unnecessarily touch on Rudrick’s painful wounds.

While I was hesitating like this, Rudrick looked at me with a puzzled expression and asked back.

“Is there perhaps some problem?”

“No, there’s no problem…”

After trailing off for a moment, I just shook off my thoughts.

Ah, I don’t know either.

Anyway, since the Imperial Palace is so vast, there would probably be almost no chance of running into the Imperial Consort or First Prince.

Most importantly, since Rudrick himself directly suggested going, it should be fine, right?

“Yes, I’d like that. I really want to go.”

As I nodded readily, I suddenly narrowed my eyes.

‘Huh?’

This is really strange.

Rudrick’s face, which held a faint smile, looked oddly dark.

I think it was like that earlier too.

…Is this just because I’m being sensitive?

* * *

Evening, when the sun was slowly setting.

Rudrick, who was entering the Magic Tower, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Because he heard his name being mentioned from somewhere.

“…so, about His Highness the Second Prince.”

The mage engineers gathered in the rest room were chatting amongst themselves.

“Even though he caught Sara, the Lord of the Magic Tower gave no reward at all.”

“That’s right. I heard the money recovered from the Seres Estate this time was considerable too.”

Then one of the mage engineers shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, we all know, don’t we?”

At the same time, the mage engineers exchanged glances with each other and smiled ambiguously.

“That’s right, it seems the Lord of the Magic Tower regards His Highness the Second Prince as…”

His Highness the Second Prince.

Of course, Rudrick was of imperial bloodline, but he was also strictly a mage belonging to the Magic Tower.

However, the people of the Magic Tower always called him ‘His Highness the Second Prince.’

The reason was that the Lord of the Magic Tower, who owned the Magic Tower, was wary of Rudrick.

“Didn’t the Lord of the Magic Tower praise you tremendously? If it were me, I would have wanted to carry Teacher on my back.”

Just then, Milena’s innocent words brushed past his ears.

Rudrick twisted up the corner of his lips.

‘As if that would happen.’

People say about him that he ‘lives freely without being bound by anything.’

It was partly true.

However, if you asked whether that ‘free life’ was something Rudrick had chosen himself, well.

Until now, Rudrick had never once lived in a space that welcomed him.

Neither the Imperial Palace nor the Magic Tower.

And because of that, he had to flow like the wind.

He had to stay one step away from everything, as if he wasn’t bound by anything.

If Rudrick showed interest in something, even briefly.

Both the Imperial Family and the Lord of the Magic Tower would immediately step forward to check him.

Because you never knew when the ground you stood on might collapse.

“Being modest is good too, but I hope you’ll just fully accept the gratitude this time.”

Milena had favorably evaluated him as being ‘modest,’ but in fact, she was wrong.

That attitude was a scar from constantly struggling to survive until now.

‘How truly pathetic.’

Rudrick let out a quiet bitter laugh.

He was sick of this kind of life.

“Phew.”

Rudrick, who had let out a quiet sigh, turned around.

…He was terribly tired.

* * *

A few days later.

I entered the Imperial Palace together with Rudrick.

So, the first place we visited was…

“Wow…”

An exclamation flowed from between my lips.

The Four Seasons Garden.

It was the Imperial Palace’s famous attraction, decorated with seasonal themes.

Since it was late spring now, flowers were blooming everywhere in bright colors, and the lattice pattern made of flowers was very beautiful.

“It’s really pretty.”

At my sincere voice, Rudrick turned to look at me with a bright face.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes, I’m glad we came to see it.”

I smiled brightly.

“Thank you so much for inviting me.”

Rudrick, who responded with a smile, extended his arm toward me.

It was the perfect gentleman’s etiquette for escorting a lady.

“Then, Lady Milena, shall we go?”

At that playful voice, I lightly placed my hand on Rudrick’s arm.

“With pleasure.”

Like that, I began strolling through the Four Seasons Garden while being escorted by Rudrick.

The gently blowing spring breeze.

The countless spring flowers swaying softly.

Even the fountain with elegant streams of water shooting up toward the blue sky.

Every single piece of the surrounding scenery was beautiful.

Just then.

I muttered softly without thinking.

“…It would have been nice if Sister Cecilia had come with us too.”

Cecilia likes flowers and enjoys strolling through gardens.

I thought she would really love it here.

Meanwhile, Rudrick, who heard those words, glanced at me.

“Princess Cecilia?”

“Oh, I was just looking at the flowers and it reminded me of her.”

I gave him a bright smile.

“Sister Cecilia loves flowers.”

“….”

Rudrick was silent for a moment.

And then.

“Come to think of it, you seem very close with Princess Cecilia.”

Rudrick, who said this, was staring at me as if looking at something very strange.

“Oh, really? Does it seem that way?”

My mood instantly brightened as I replied with an excited voice.

Right?

I had worked so hard to become close with Cecilia.

To think that others see it that way too makes me so happy!

However, Rudrick’s expression was somewhat dubious.

“…Do you really like Princess Cecilia that much?”

“Of course. She’s my family.”

I nodded confidently.

Of course, it’s true that Cecilia was hostile toward me at first.

But as someone who read the original story, I couldn’t help but feel concerned about Cecilia.

She was such a pitiful and heartbreaking character, how could I not like her?

It’s not like I don’t understand why Cecilia kept her distance from me either.

Just then.

‘Huh?’

A sweet fragrance gently brushed past my nose.

Reflexively turning my gaze, I discovered a tree crowned with pale purple flowers.

It was a lilac.

“Oh, it’s a lilac.”

I said happily as I walked over to it with light steps.

The pale purple flowers bloomed like clouds, swaying gently in the breeze.

When I reached out my hand, the soft petals wrapped gently around my fingers.

“My mother used to love these flowers.”

“Your mother?”

“Yes. When the lilacs bloomed, Mother and I would walk hand in hand, looking at the flowers.”

Suddenly, Rudrick looked as if he had realized something and asked me.

“When you say mother here, you mean your adoptive mother, not the Duchess?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I nodded and became lost in memories.

When I was much smaller than I am now.

Mother would leave me with the grandmother next door and go to work.

When will my mother come home? I would wait longingly all day, hovering around the window.

Finally, Mother would appear with the red sunset behind her.

“Mama!”

When I burst through the door and ran out, Mother would spread her arms wide and embrace me.

“Milena, were you good and listened to Grandmother?”

The memory of walking home hand in hand.

The deep sunset.

The dizzyingly intense lilac fragrance.

Even the image of Mother smiling brightly as she picked a lilac cluster and tucked it behind my ear.

“Our Milena looks like a princess!”

At the same time, I suddenly came to my senses.

‘Oh no.’

I had been lost in other thoughts for too long with Rudrick standing beside me.

But for some reason, Rudrick was looking at me with an unreadable expression.

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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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