One Day, I Picked Up a Mom - Chapter 22

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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 22

“…You certainly have a way with words.”

He frowned slightly and spoke with displeasure.

“And here I thought you were an idiot.”

Ludrio straightened his body and muttered something, but his words weren’t clearly audible.

“Pardon?”

“I said I won’t touch you.”

Ludrio answered firmly, then left me frozen in place and began walking ahead as if he had nothing more to say. As if he wasn’t disappointed in the least.

However, even while saying he wouldn’t touch me, he seemed somewhat offended.

‘Really, he was the one who made it so clear that I wasn’t his type in the first place. Does he really want to act like this?’

The Count’s completely selfish behavior was absurd, but what could I do?

This was a class-based society after all.

I pushed down my sense of injustice and stood there quietly, watching Ludrio walk away obediently.

Once he got further away, once there was more distance between us, I would go into my room.

Just then, he suddenly turned around and strode back toward me.

“You don’t seem to remember.”

“…Pardon?”

“I was the one who carried you to the infirmary after you collapsed in the corridor yesterday.”

Then he spoke as if reproaching me.

‘I thought I had gone down to the infirmary by myself, but I had collapsed.’

And Ludrio had carried me there.

“I’m truly grateful that you helped me… but I still don’t like it.”

But even so, nothing changed.

Even if Luna before my possession had done such things, I absolutely, definitely, completely declined.

“What?”

Ludrio’s eyebrows rose slightly as if he found it absurd.

Did the fact that I, who had nothing, rejected him wound his pride?

“I’m sorry, Count.”

I quickly bowed my head before I could further displease Ludrio.

He seemed to have more to say, uttering fragments like “ah” and “but” several times before turning around again and quickly crossing the corridor.

Bang-.

Then he slammed his door quite roughly.

* * *

After closing his door, Ludrio roughly ran his hand through his hair.

He was the one who had caught the woman as she was about to collapse yesterday.

He was also the one who had carried the woman who vomited on his shoes to the infirmary.

He was the one who had wiped the vomit from her mouth and chin.

He was also the one who had wiped away her cold sweat.

“Ha-!”

Yet she reacted with such alarm just because he grabbed her shoulder, as if she’d encountered a molester.

Anyone watching would think he had tried to assault her.

‘I don’t do that kind of thing anymore. So… I don’t like this kind of thing.’

Who said anything about doing what?

He had no such intention whatsoever.

So yes, he had deliberately grabbed her, and yes, he had deliberately stood close to her.

He had just wanted to ask…

The woman who introduced him as a prostitute.

‘…Sob sob, I told you, didn’t I? That I’m an idiot. Haven’t you ever seen an idiot before?’

Just as the child had said the woman was an idiot who collapsed from eating seafood, he wondered if she really was an idiot.

He had wanted to ask if she didn’t find it strange how she flinched and startled at the slightest touch.

“Haah…”

Ludrio collapsed onto the couch and roughly rubbed his face.

Thinking about his reputation and even bringing up prostitution, he belatedly realized the woman might feel that way from her perspective.

However, that didn’t make his sense of injustice disappear.

Wasn’t it all because of that woman who was nothing but lies from beginning to end?

Who would want to do such a thing…

…In his twenty-eight years of life, being treated like a molester was truly a first.

Such alarm and revulsion too.

Ludrio knew what kind of rumors followed him around. Even with all those scandalous rumors, he had never once felt shame.

Those large eyes that had looked at him with fear and contempt came to mind again.

‘You don’t seem to remember. I was the one who carried you to the infirmary after you collapsed in the corridor yesterday.’

Ludrio sank deep into the couch with an escaping sigh.

“Why did I even say such a thing.”

He wasn’t sure exactly what he had wanted to convey through those words.

‘I’m truly grateful that you helped me… but I still don’t like it.’

At least he hadn’t wanted to become a crazy bastard who brought up helping someone just because he wanted to hold a woman once…

Another pained sigh escaped his lips.

* * *

“Think about it carefully. Okay?”

Iban, who had been holding and shaking my hand, sighed deeply as he spoke.

“Are there any other things you can’t eat?”

At the child’s persistent questioning, sadness welled up in me once again.

‘My shrimp… How much I love shrimp.’

To think I could never eat shrimp or crab again.

If only I had never known the taste, it wouldn’t be this devastating…

“They said you could really die if you eat something that doesn’t agree with your body.”

The child shook my hand firmly once more.

“Mom, you’re scared of dying too, so please think carefully.”

Looking at Iban who kept making persistent eye contact as if coaxing a young child, I shook my head as if there was nothing to worry about.

“No, Mom can eat everything else just fine.”

“…Really?”

“Of course.”

Though I had no memories to recall in the first place, I smiled as if there was nothing to worry about.

So from now on, I planned to try foods that might be dangerous, like nuts or peaches, just a little bit at a time.

If I figured it out that way, it would be fine.

“So there’s nothing to worry about.”

I gently lifted Iban, who still had a distrustful expression on his face.

“I’m sorry for making you worry, Iban.”

“Tch, don’t ever do that again.”

“Okay. I won’t.”

Though it seemed like the roles of mother and child had somehow reversed, I quietly nodded to Iban, who had run over at dawn because he was worried about me.

Then the child wrapped his arms tightly around my neck.

“Stay with me for a long, long time. …I’ll be good to you.”

I lifted the child and stood up from my seat.

Iban flailed a little, not expecting me to suddenly stand up.

“Our Iban has really grown so much now.”

I firmly supported his bottom so Iban wouldn’t be uncomfortable.

When I first met him, he was noticeably thin, but lately his belly would sometimes stick out.

He had gotten quite heavy, and it seemed there weren’t many days left when I could hold him like this.

‘Stay with me for a long, long time.’

Since we had come to find Ludrio, and as long as he wanted Iban, I could no longer decide by my own will whether to stay with Iban.

Even on that day when we were chased from this estate, I stood in front of the main gate for a very long time, but once closed, the door never opened.

“I was already grown up.”

Even as he said that, watching Iban cling to me like a koala made me laugh naturally.

“But you know…”

The child who had been rubbing his face against my shoulder a few times cautiously began to speak.

“What did the Count say to Mother?”

“…Huh?”

My heart suddenly contracted.

Could it be that Iban had heard that conversation we had in front of his room yesterday?

It certainly wasn’t something good for a child who was only seven years old to hear.

“What do you mean by that…”

As Ludrio, who had been so close, came to mind, I hurriedly opened my mouth to deny it.

“No. I was just asking once.”

However, Iban shook his head before I could.

“I mean, just in case… Mother is scared of the Count.”

“Huh?”

“I was just asking once.”

Iban, who hurriedly finished his words, yawned and hugged me again.

“I’m sleepy.”

At his words about being tired, I checked the wall clock.

5:30. There were still about two hours before the employees would wake us up.

“…Should I take you to your room then?”

“No. I want to sleep next to Mother. That’s better.”

When I asked while firmly lifting up Iban who had slipped down a little, the child shook his head.

“Tell me an old story. I want to hear that again.”

At those words, I chuckled and carefully set the child down on the bed.

The child who picked up a pillow naturally made space for me next to him.

‘The Count has prepared a separate room.’

Even on that night when there was trouble at dawn, Iban had insisted on sleeping next to me, but the employees were firm.

From that, it seemed Ludrio wanted me to sleep separately from the child.

“Mother?”

At his look that seemed to urge me to lie down quickly, I pretended not to notice and lay down beside the child.

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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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