I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 98
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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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“This place is….”
“It’s a place I heard about in advance from Lady Rosie. I heard it’s called Lusert’s private beach.”
Come to think of it, I had read about it in a letter.
To regain her health, Mother would always take walks on Lusert’s private beach.
Rudrick continued speaking calmly.
“I already asked Lady Rosie for permission. I told her I’d borrow it briefly for magic practice.”
I flinched for a moment.
I thought the magic lesson was just an excuse.
This guy, he didn’t actually bring me here intending to really hold a lesson, did he?
“…What kind of practice are you planning to do that you even asked my mother for permission?”
I looked at Rudrick with wary eyes.
At the same time, the corners of Rudrick’s eyes and lips curved into a clear arc.
“No, Princess Milena… Ahaha!”
Rudrick burst into laughter, bending over at the waist.
‘Excuse me, I’m being serious here?’
I stared at Rudrick with an unimpressed expression.
After giggling for a while, Rudrick gently wiped away the tears that had formed in his eyes.
“Do you really not trust me that much?”
“Honestly, Teacher, you sometimes overestimate me too much.”
Well, it’s true that Rudrick is an excellent teacher.
But still, the shock I felt when I heard “Why can’t you do that? I could do it from the beginning….” on the first day of class was absolutely overwhelming.
But then.
Thud.
Something fell from my arms.
When I unconsciously looked down at it, I was horrified.
‘Ugh!’
It was the bracelet I had bought while thinking of Rudrick when we went to the market.
I had hastily hidden it in my arms earlier, but it had fallen out.
‘No, if it was going to fall, it should have fallen when we were up in the sky!’
Why is this happening now!
But it was already too late.
Rudrick had bent down and picked up the bracelet.
“What is this?”
The colorful thread bracelet shone vividly in his large hand.
His blue eyes quietly gazed at the thread bracelet on my wrist.
“Is this identical to the bracelet you’re wearing, Princess?”
“Yes, that’s right. We decided to share them among family members.”
“Ah, I see.”
Was it my imagination that Rudrick’s expression looked somewhat bitter as he said that?
‘Was I being insensitive.’
I reflected a little inwardly.
How could I have forgotten that Rudrick’s relationship with his family wasn’t smooth….
“Um, Teacher.”
I impulsively held out the bracelet to Rudrick.
“Actually, I bought this to give to you, Teacher.”
“…To me?”
Rudrick’s eyes widened.
Somehow feeling my face grow hot, I rambled nervously.
“It’s, it’s nothing special. I just meant that I think of you as family too!”
“….”
A bright smile spread across Rudrick’s face.
Like spring suddenly arriving on a winter snowfield, it was truly a dramatic change.
“Thank you, I’ll treasure it.”
Rudrick smiled warmly as he received the bracelet.
Facing that expression, I somehow felt queasy inside.
‘What is this feeling.’
Every time I looked at Rudrick, I always felt unfamiliar emotions.
Strange, uncomfortable, and….
‘Heart-fluttering.’
Just then, Rudrick suddenly spoke up.
“Um, may I ask one favor?”
“A favor?”
“Yes.”
Rudrick nodded and suddenly extended his hand to me.
“The bracelet. Could you put it on for me?”
“….”
Gulping down my dry saliva, I took the bracelet as he requested.
All my nerves focused on the thin bracelet.
A moment later.
Rudrick looked down at his wrist quietly and smiled faintly.
The thread bracelet swayed gently in the sunlight.
“How is it, does it suit me well?”
Eyes folding like crescents.
A gentle voice.
The white sandy beach and blue sea spread out behind Rudrick.
All of that scenery looked so perfect….
“…Yes, it suits you well.”
I answered as if enchanted, then suddenly came to my senses.
“I, I mean. I’m thinking of you like this, Teacher, but you always just give me lots of homework.”
Trying to dispel the awkward atmosphere, I poured out words carelessly, then closed my eyes tightly as I felt increasingly tangled up.
What? What am I saying right now?
My mind became confused.
Then Rudrick, who had been quietly watching, chuckled and asked back.
“Oh my, was I such a terrible teacher?”
“No, that’s not what I meant…!”
In my panic, I unconsciously raised my voice.
Rudrick drooped his eyes and deliberately replied as if hurt.
“I’ll have to work harder to teach you excellently from now on, Princess.”
“…Stop teasing me.”
I replied in a sulky voice.
Rudrick chuckled and extended his arm to me.
“Rather than worrying about lessons already, let’s walk for now.”
I pretended to give in and placed my hand on his arm.
I began strolling on the white sandbar with Rudrick’s escort.
Clear sunlight warming my body.
Cool sea breezes blowing intermittently.
It was a perfect day for a walk.
‘I feel good.’
As I enjoyed the wind caressing my cheeks, my gaze turned toward the blue sea.
I casually opened my mouth.
“There must be a lot of fish in that sea, right?”
Before I was reincarnated as ‘Milena’.
I was an avid viewer of nature documentaries.
Among them, the underwater scenes I saw in marine documentaries were particularly memorable.
Colorful fish, coral colonies, dolphins swimming through the sea, things like that.
Well, but it’s not like I can dive underwater right now.
So seeing that scenery would be quite distant…
“Do you want to see fish?”
“Come on, how can we see fish? It’s not like we’re going fishing.”
I was answering carelessly when I was suddenly speechless.
Because Rudrick strode toward the sea and then stepped right onto the water!
Shocked, I opened my eyes wide.
“Wh-what, what is that?!”
Sparkling magic spread beneath Rudrick’s shoe heels.
The magic lightly scattered over the sea glittered in rainbow colors.
I was mesmerized by that enchanting sight for only a moment.
I was shocked once again.
‘So right now… he’s walking on the sea using magic?’
My goodness, is this magic control for real?
I could never do that even if I died and came back to life!
Besides, didn’t he say ‘magic practice’ earlier?
Which means.
“You’re not telling me to practice that… walking on the sea… are you?”
I looked up at Rudrick in horror at the ominous feeling.
He chuckled and stepped across the sea again, approaching me.
…I’m not sure if ‘stepped across the sea’ is the right expression, but anyway, that’s what he did.
He extended his hand to me.
“Sometimes helping a student not to overexert themselves is also a teacher’s role.”
“…”
I looked at that outstretched hand with suspicious eyes and asked bluntly.
“So you’re saying you won’t make me do it right now?”
“Yes. However, in the future, Princess Milena should be able to operate magic like I do.”
“Teacher, please consider your student’s capabilities when conducting lessons.”
I gave Rudrick a playfully reproachful look.
Then Rudrick became serious.
“Princess Milena has talent. I’m sure you can easily accomplish this much.”
No, that’s not right though.
“I appreciate that you believe in me, but…”
“I’m serious.”
The moment I heard that firm voice.
My heart stirred greatly.
Those clear blue eyes that believed in me as if it were natural.
When did it start?
When did I begin hoping I could somehow live up to that man’s trust…
“That aside, when are you going to take my hand?”
Just then, Rudrick playfully waved his hand.
“My arm is getting a bit sore.”
When he’s urging me like that, I can’t keep refusing.
I gulped and took Rudrick’s hand, stepping onto the sea.
“…This feels strange.”
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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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