I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 77

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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 Count of Lusert clenched his molars tightly.

‘Damn it.’

While sunlight rippled on the water’s surface, it was extremely dark inside the river.

Pure white foam that had risen blocked his vision.

His head felt dizzy, perhaps from the shock of urgently diving into the water.

‘Get it together.’

There was no time to be dazed like this.

The Duke bit his lower lip until it bled and urgently raised his head.

‘Where are Milena? Cecilia?!’

I have to save my daughters.

Only that thought filled his mind.

The Duke’s life up until now had been days filled with countless worries.

His wife, whose mind had become fragile from the shock of losing their daughter.

Elias, struggling desperately as the heir to the family and as a young duke.

…And even Cecilia, who had been losing her smile ever since coming to the Duke’s household.

‘Did I do something wrong.’

He had to protect this family somehow.

He had tried to protect his family somehow.

That was his duty as the head of the household, and also his reason for living and his joy.

But how?

He couldn’t even guess when his wife’s haggard face would return to being bright.

He couldn’t remember when Elias had laughed cheerfully.

He didn’t know how to approach Cecilia, who was always shrinking back.

He always had nightmares.

They were dreams of this precarious family falling apart.

These nightmares that choked him day and night were burdensome, so he took medication.

Without it, he couldn’t fall asleep.

Then, a miracle happened.

“According to people’s testimonies, that maid summoned the wind.”

Milena, who had saved Cecilia when she was caught in the carriage accident.

The paternity test he had proceeded with anxiously, wondering if that child might be his real daughter.

The hair that fluttered down over the flames.

“Miss Milena is indeed your biological child.”

When he heard Rudrick’s declaration.

The heart-trembling ecstasy, as if he had embraced the entire world in his arms.

He thought he would finally be freed from those detestable nightmares.

Because he had finally found his lost biological daughter, Milena.

He believed that all the worries he had always carried like shackles would disappear.

But.

“Huff, huff, gasp…”

Far from disappearing, the nightmares swelled even more.

This time they were dreams of losing the daughters he had barely found, forever.

Every time he closed his eyes, he felt like his daughters would disappear, so he couldn’t sleep properly at all.

But, if he were to lose both children like this in the end…

‘That can’t happen.’

Newborn Milena had gone missing, and Cecilia, whom they had adopted afterward, had almost been lost in a carriage accident.

Just thinking about both children disappearing from his side forever made it difficult to breathe from fear.

This family that he had somehow pieced together.

He couldn’t let it fall apart again like this.

‘Where on earth are they?’

His dark green eyes, which had been desperately looking around, suddenly widened greatly.

Far away, in the dark water.

Bright golden hair, as if woven from sunlight, was swaying weakly.

‘Milena?!’

Looking closely, Milena wasn’t even alone.

She was desperately holding onto another girl.

It was Cecilia.

The moment he saw the two frail figures sinking limply into the water, the Duke’s eyes rolled back.

‘Children!’

The Duke swam toward them without hesitation.

He reached out to grab Cecilia’s wrist and clutched Milena’s shoulder.

But both daughters showed no sign of opening their eyes.

‘Please…!’

Seeing the children’s pale faces, the Duke became terrified as if his heart might stop at any moment.

He had to save the children somehow.

Bubbles boiled up furiously.

He couldn’t breathe.

Apparently lacking oxygen, his vision spun.

The Duke desperately pulled both daughters into his arms.

‘I need to get out of the river water… but…’

At that moment, there was a strong grip that firmly grabbed the Duke’s shoulder.

‘Father.’

It was Elias, who had jumped into the river.

‘Elias, I told you to stay by your mother’s side…!’

The shocked Duke’s eyes widened, but that didn’t last long either.

His empty lungs craved air.

His mind gradually became confused.

‘Damn it.’

Elias gritted his teeth and pulled his father toward him.

Even though he was almost about to lose consciousness, the Count of Lusert somehow didn’t let go of his grip on his two daughters.

It was fortunate that they could all stay together as one mass, at least.

But it was truly difficult for Elias as well.

The weight of no less than three people was in his arms.

Moreover, his two younger sisters had already fainted, and his father also seemed unable to hold on any longer.

‘Quickly, quickly…!’

Elias desperately raised his head.

The sunlight flickering above his head was distantly far away.

His vision gradually darkened.

‘Please, at least father and my sisters…’

At the very moment he was desperately praying inside.

A miracle happened.

* * *

People stared with wide eyes at the miracle that occurred before them.

“My goodness…”

“This can’t be.”

The first change they felt was a gentle breeze.

But that soft breeze becoming powerful was instantaneous.

The wind blowing from behind shook the guests’ clothes and disheveled their hair.

At the same time, the river water began to shake roughly.

Whoooosh-!

Water droplets scattered in all directions, reflecting the sunlight.

In that dazzling scene, four people burst through the river water.

It was the Lusert family.

The Duke was desperately holding his two daughters in his arms, and beside him, the young duke was gripping his father with all his might.

“….”

“….”

Silence flowed.

Perhaps because they had witnessed such an astonishing sight, no one could easily open their mouth.

The Lusert family gently floated through the air and were laid down on the deck.

Along with that, a young man pushed through the crowd and stepped forward.

“S-Second Prince?!”

Shock filled people’s eyes.

They had no idea when the Second Prince had even attended the spring picnic.

No one had sensed his presence at all?!

But Rudrick had no interest whatsoever in people’s questions.

Instead, he urgently examined the Lusert family, then quickly turned around.

“Is there medical staff here?”

The people who had been in a daze finally snapped back to their senses.

Rudrick urged them sharply once more.

“Quickly call the medical staff. Hurry!”

* * *

The first sense to return was hearing.

Murmuring sounds could be heard distantly, as if listening from underwater.

“Is Father alright….”

“…is now where….”

It seemed to be Elias’s voice.

The Duke barely managed to lift his eyelids that felt heavy as lead.

His vision wouldn’t focus at all, so he had to blink slowly several times.

Then, someone called the Duke with an urgent voice.

“Father!”

Beyond his completely blurry vision, he could see Elias looking down at him with worry.

Scattered memories like fragments began to surface in his mind one by one.

Cecilia and Milena who had fallen into the river.

Himself frantically jumping into the river to save the children.

And even Elias’s touch that had gripped his shoulder firmly.

Along with that, his mind cleared as if he had been splashed with cold water.

“Mi-Milena? Cecilia?! …Ugh.”

The Duke, who had tried to get up urgently, groaned softly.

Elias hurriedly supported his father.

“They’re both safe, Father.”

“Is that really true?”

“Of course. There’s no way I would lie to you about something like this, Father.”

Elias smiled brightly and pointed to one side.

“Look over there.”

“….”

The Duke’s eyes shook violently.

In the distance, he could see Cecilia and Milena sitting side by side.

Wrapped in dry towels around their shoulders, they were leaning on each other and having a quiet conversation.

From the looks of it, they didn’t seem to be seriously injured.

“…Thank goodness.”

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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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