I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 65
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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 appearance isn’t too different from what was described in the novel.’
Bright blue eyes that proved he had inherited royal blood.
Light brown hair resembling the Imperial Consort.
Handsome, yet somehow giving off a sinister aura.
‘Ugh, I really didn’t want to run into him.’
Honestly, I found the First Prince rather troublesome.
And for good reason—in the original story, the First Prince had been stringing Cecilia along.
The story goes like this.
Before the ‘real princess, Milena’ appeared, the First Prince had continuously flirted with Cecilia, who was the Empire’s only princess at the time.
Separately, their relationship never progressed.
While he coveted Cecilia’s status as a ‘princess,’ he disliked that she was an adopted daughter.
But Cecilia couldn’t let go of the First Prince despite his psychological torture.
After all, Benjamin was the First Prince.
She believed that if she became the First Prince’s consort, her position of being an outsider in noble society would be solidified.
Eventually, Milena appeared, and the First Prince naturally tried to switch to the ‘real princess.’
However, in the process, he couldn’t completely let go of Cecilia either.
‘So he naturally tried to play both sides, but eventually fell for Milena, right?’
Ugh, how disgusting.
I forced strength into my brow that was about to furrow on its own.
Then, the First Prince smiled wickedly.
“How unusual, Rudrick. To think you, who’s always holed up in that dusty Magic Tower, would be out with such a lovely lady.”
The First Prince, who had clearly spoken with mockery, glanced over at me.
“So who might this be? Won’t you introduce her to me as well?”
“…”
Rudrick fell silent for a moment.
In his blue eyes looking at the First Prince, there was a faint displeasure he couldn’t quite hide.
As if he found the very idea of me conversing with the First Prince distasteful.
“What’s this, Rudrick.”
The First Prince, who had been waiting briefly, crooked his eyebrow and shot back sharply.
“I’m asking who that lady is.”
“…”
“Rudrick, can’t you hear me?”
What’s wrong? Why is he acting like this?
Is he really not going to introduce me?
A-at this rate, they’re going to fight!
I hastily interjected into the conversation.
“Milena von Lusert, I greet Your Highness the First Prince.”
“…Princess Lusert, you say?”
The First Prince’s eyes widened slightly.
At the same time, deep greed filled those eyes.
Like a beast faced with appetizing prey…
“It’s my first time meeting you, Princess Lusert.”
The First Prince placed his hand on his chest and greeted me politely.
After looking me up and down, as soon as our eyes met, he gently lowered his gaze with soft eyes.
“I heard there was very joyful news for House Lusert recently? It’s truly an honor to meet the protagonist of that news.”
It would have been fine if he had stopped there.
The problem, however, was that the First Prince gently lifted my hand.
‘Huh?’
While I was flustered, the First Prince lightly kissed the back of my hand.
“…”
Goosebumps rose all over my body.
Then, Rudrick reached out and firmly grasped the First Prince’s wrist.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing?”
Rudrick growled low.
However, the First Prince just shrugged his shoulders with a shameless face.
“You’re talking as if I committed some great rudeness, Rudrick.”
“What did you say?”
“I merely showed respect to a precious lady, so why are you making such a fuss?”
Actually, that was half right and half wrong.
Kissing the back of a hand was an old-fashioned etiquette that originally implied a knight’s respect for a lady.
But as times changed, that etiquette became limited to fiancés or lovers.
Which means.
‘…Does this mean the First Prince sees me as a woman?’
I unconsciously swallowed dry saliva.
Don’t tell me he’s planning to play both sides between Cecilia and me?
Wow, how is this flowing exactly like the original story?!
“First, thank you. I’m truly delighted that Your Highness the First Prince would show me such respect.”
I forced my face, which was about to contort, into a smile.
“However, it might cause misunderstandings among others, so I’d appreciate it if you could refrain from doing so in the future.”
“Oh my, don’t mind those idiots around us.”
The First Prince looked at me with half-closed eyes and a sleazy gaze.
“What’s more important is how specially I think of Princess Milena, isn’t it? Haha!”
Then he laughed heartily as if for everyone to hear.
But the First Prince’s face hardened immediately upon hearing my next words.
“Well, I understand that Your Highness the First Prince has been intimately associating with my sister Princess Cecilia. Isn’t that right?”
“…”
Suddenly, the First Prince fell silent as if at a loss for words.
It was true.
Even in the original story, the First Prince had prevented anyone from approaching Cecilia.
However, it wasn’t that the two were officially lovers or had special feelings for each other.
It was more like a show-off behavior of ‘I’ve already claimed Cecilia in advance.’
‘Simply isolating Cecilia for his own needs—what a complete scoundrel!’
While inwardly disgusted, I smiled broadly.
“I treasure my family that I’ve barely managed to find. I try not to create situations that might cause misunderstandings between us.”
“…”
“I trust that Your Highness the First Prince will understand my feelings.”
I drew the line like that.
Then the First Prince looked at me with surprised eyes.
“Hmm, you sisters must really get along well.”
What, do biological and adopted children have to have bad relationships?
While grumbling inwardly, I maintained an even brighter expression outwardly.
“Of course. I truly respect my sister. There’s no one more perfect for the Lusert name than Sister Cecilia.”
I drove the point home again.
“My dream is to become someone like my sister in the future.”
“…I see.”
The First Prince had a strange expression.
What, why, what.
I’m saying I like our sister, so do you have some complaint about that?
But then.
Rudrick, who had been watching the First Prince intently the whole time, suddenly spoke to me.
“More importantly, Princess Milena, are you hurt anywhere?”
“Hurt?”
“Yes. I was worried you might have bumped into something when you fell.”
Rudrick drooped his eyes like a fox and made a worried expression.
‘What? It feels like he deliberately turned the topic toward himself.’
I looked back at Rudrick with a puzzled feeling.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, I’m not hurt anywhere.”
Well, you caught me well so I wouldn’t get hurt in the first place, didn’t you?
But Rudrick didn’t simply accept my words.
“Still, you never know.”
Saying that, Rudrick suddenly reached his hand toward me.
Then he gently arranged my hair that had fallen toward my face, continuing with concern.
“Earlier, you looked very startled, so I was a bit worried.”
What, what?
I ended up freezing stiffly.
Excuse me, male protagonist.
Honestly, this sudden approach is more harmful to my heart than falling from the ladder?!
“I should have been more careful, but I feel sorry for causing unnecessary worry to Your Highness the Second Prince.”
I smiled awkwardly.
Then Rudrick looked at me with sweet eyes.
“What Second Prince Your Highness.”
“Pardon?”
“You can call me Ru, or Rud.”
“….”
Gasp.
Enchanted by that bright voice, I almost called him by a nickname right then and there.
‘The beauty of someone who’s the male protagonist of a novel is truly terrifying….’
Coming to my senses quickly, I declined as politely as possible.
“No, I couldn’t dare call Your Highness the Second Prince like that.”
Um, sorry, but I’m not mentally prepared to become that close yet….
Displeased with my answer, Rudrick narrowed his eyes.
“Hmm, I’ll have to work harder in the future.”
Work harder at what?
At my dubious expression, Rudrick answered quite cheerfully.
“Well, because I want to become close with the Princess.”
…Wow, is he really acting friendly with that face?
My heart can’t take it!
More than that.
‘Why is he being so proactive?’
Right?
Rudrick is the original male protagonist who’s supposed to end up with Cecilia.
There’s no reason for him to act like this toward me, is there?
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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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