One Day, I Picked Up a Mom - Chapter 20

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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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One Day I Picked Up a Mother – Episode 20

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Ludrio’s words about making sure we wouldn’t be uncomfortable during our stay weren’t a lie.

I truly realized the meaning of those words after coming down to the dining room for a meal.

Actually, I had felt it when I saw the four sets of new clothes given to me and the beige-toned room with plenty of sunlight…

But seeing the dishes served for dinner, I was finally certain.

That the Count’s words meant he would treat me as a guest.

From the tomato-based seafood stew packed with fish, mussels, shrimp, and clams to the veal ribs slowly roasted in the oven.

Each dish that came out in turn was filled with care and attention.

He coldly drove us away just yesterday, but today he’s treating us this well?

As I briefly wondered what he could be thinking with this unexpectedly lavish treatment.

“Wow-.”

Iban, sitting across from me, let out a small gasp and then quickly shut his mouth as if startled.

It was because blue flames had ignited on the pure white cake and blazed up instantly.

Fortunately, he didn’t make a sound, but I was just as surprised as Iban.

The flames soon died down and the cake’s surface was crisply charred. Then an employee cut the cake in half and placed it in front of us.

“Ah…”

Only after taking a bite did I realize what was inside was cold ice cream.

This time, a small gasp escaped from my mouth too.

When I looked up at Iban, he had just put a bite of cake in his mouth and his eyes were wide open.

“It’s cold.”

The child covered his mouth with his hand and looked up at the employee standing nearby.

“What is this?”

“It’s a dessert of ice cream covered with meringue, cold inside and hot outside, also called the dessert of fire and ice.”

Ah, so this was meringue.

As I was thinking this, the employee standing beside us continued speaking.

“The Count instructed us to take special care today since the young master didn’t eat properly yesterday.”

Ludrio didn’t participate in the dinner, saying he had business to attend to.

To skip such a perfect meal. Does this kind of thing become ordinary when you eat it every day?

Whatever the reason, Ludrio’s absence was quite good for us. Thanks to that, we could enjoy the food without worry.

I even had the foolish thought that maybe he skipped dinner as consideration to let Iban eat comfortably.

‘That can’t be.’

…It seemed that eating something sweet after a long time was making the world look beautiful.

I quickly dismissed the foolish thought and took another big spoonful of dessert.

Just as the ice cream was melting in my mouth, I made eye contact with Iban.

Iban, who had been rolling the dessert around in his mouth, smiled brightly when our eyes met.

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As the night deepened, my body grew heavy.

Cold sweat that had started flowing at some point had thoroughly soaked my hair and clothes.

“Haa…”

At first, I thought I was just a little tired.

From cleaning the house covered in trash to searching the river trying to find the brooch.

Besides, I had been constantly tense because of Ludrio and cried all day yesterday.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t properly rested even once. So I thought I had just gotten a little tired.

So I thought I’d be fine after sleeping and waking up.

“Haa…”

The face touching my palm was very hot. Yet strangely, a chill seemed to penetrate, making me shiver to the bone.

Once again, labored breathing continued slowly.

Heat rose throughout my body and my whole body ached as if I’d been beaten.

“Haa, ha.”

It seemed I couldn’t go on like this.

Though it was late, maybe if I went downstairs.

Dr. Kraban might be in that infirmary.

So…

When I struggled to sit up, the entire room except for the bed I was holding onto began to spin dizzily.

I squeezed my eyes shut, opened them, and slowly moved my steps.

The rough texture of the carpet under my bare feet ended and soon I was stepping on marble as cold as ice.

That cold marble seemed to steal all the warmth from my body in an instant, and I began to shiver.

I struggled to open the door and leaned against the wall, slowly moving my steps.

Was it because it was late?

There wasn’t a single person in the corridor.

As if everyone had fallen into deep sleep, the Duke’s mansion was very quiet.

As I put strength into the hand gripping the wall and slowly moved my feet following the lamplight scattered along the long corridor.

Suddenly, I had this thought.

“Haa, ha,”

Could it be that Ludrio called me back because of this?

Was this the reason for the appetizing food and why he himself skipped the dinner banquet?

Once again, everything in front of me began to spin dizzily.

“Haa…”

As I leaned more against the wall, feeling like I might collapse at any moment, even the wall I was leaning my head against seemed to dance frantically.

“Luna?”

Luna.

Even as the whole world spun dizzily, the low voice came through very clearly as if speaking right into my ear.

“It’s late. What are you doing there.”

“Haa…”

I didn’t know who had called my name, but I needed to ask for help.

I couldn’t walk anymore. Now even standing was overwhelming.

I slowly turned around following that voice.

A silhouette that had been standing still in the distance swayed as it quickly closed the distance.

“Hey.”

Then strong arms pulled my body toward him at once.

The moment my staggering body was embraced in his arms, my face hit his solid chest and a deep musky scent filled my mouth.

Instantly, my stomach began to churn.

“Ugh-.”

Even though I hurriedly covered my mouth, my stomach that had turned once showed no signs of settling down.

Finally, as I collapsed and fell face-down in the corridor, retching.

“…Mother?”

A cautious voice came from very far away.

Then the sound of footsteps running quickly echoed on the floor.

“Luna!”

Iban’s urgent cry as he ran over hit my ears, but the sound was somehow distant and unfamiliar.

A low humming sound swirled chaotically inside my ears.

Then even the footsteps that had come quite close were jumbled into a mess.

Everything was hazy as if being pulled into deep sleep.

‘Why is this happening? Why did she collapse!’

‘…’

‘Did the Count do something?!’

‘…If so, it appears to be because of shrimp or crab.’

‘What do you mean. So you’re saying dead shrimp made a person collapse! Then why didn’t I collapse!’

‘Children and adults alike keep collapsing at the drop of a hat.’

‘…She has vomited everything she ate and taken the medicine, so she should wake up soon. But what’s strange is… if the symptoms were this severe, she couldn’t have been unaware that eating it would make her sick, so why….’

‘…Sob sob, I told you. She’s an idiot. Haven’t you ever seen an idiot before?’

“Didn’t you say she would wake up soon?”

“She hasn’t woken up yet, but it’s not a situation to worry about. She’s just sleeping, so she’ll wake up once she’s had enough rest.”

The voices coming from not far away gradually became clearer.

“Let me know when she wakes up.”

“The child….”

“I’ll take him.”

The sound of shoe heels grew closer. Then I remembered that I had come to see Dr. Kraban because I wasn’t feeling well.

When I slowly opened my eyes and sat up, I saw Iban sleeping sprawled on the bed while tightly holding my hand.

And Count Ludrio standing right behind him.

“….”

He looked down at me silently, then moved only his gaze to look at Iban.

“You’re awake.”

I was nodding and about to say something in response.

It seemed Ludrio hadn’t been speaking to me, as Dr. Kraban from behind rushed over.

“You’re awake.”

When the doctor asked if I felt uncomfortable anywhere and I shook my head, he placed his hands on my forehead and cheek in turn.

Then, nodding as if confirming what I said was true, he moved away saying he would bring water and medicine.

“You can’t eat seafood.”

Ludrio, still standing there looking down at me, spoke quietly.

“Pardon?”

“….”

“Ah….”

So Luna had a constitution that couldn’t handle seafood.

Realizing my mistake, I hurriedly bowed my head.

“If you get this severely sick from it, there’s no way you wouldn’t know about your own constitution.”

“….”

His calm voice seemed to contain no emotion whatsoever.

However, when I raised my head again to look up at him, his long eyes were sharply examining me.

“Why did you eat it?”

Like someone who wouldn’t miss even the slightest tremor from me, Ludrio’s eyes hardly let me go.

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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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