One Day, I Picked Up a Mom - Chapter 28

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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 28

 

* * *

 

After riding the servant’s horse back to the villa, I sat in front of the fireplace for quite a long time, following the servant’s advice that I needed to relax my tense body.

 

I drank warm lemon balm tea that was supposed to help calm me down and even received an examination from a doctor who had rushed over.

 

During all this time, Ludrio didn’t show his face at all. Perhaps that’s why?

 

Even though I knew that the doctor’s treatment and the warm tea were ultimately all provided by Ludrio, my opinion of him grew harsher as time passed.

 

‘A person almost died, and instead of showing concern, he just scolds me.’

 

Inside the carriage returning to the capital, I carefully glared at his shameless face.

 

‘Besides, he should have gone hunting alone in the first place. Why did he have to drag me along saying he’d show me something good?’

 

I mean, among all the novels I’d read, there were no cases of taking a woman along on a hunt. Even if she could ride a horse.

 

But was Ludrio so fascinated by the fact that I could ride a horse that he wanted to watch me that badly?

 

‘Or maybe this place isn’t one of the novels I read…’

 

Perhaps this world is different from the worldviews I knew.

 

But usually, possession is supposed to happen in your favorite novel…

 

“Do you have something to say?”

 

Ludrio, who had been turning pages, looked up at me.

 

I thought I was observing him discreetly, but when our eyes suddenly met, I was startled and awkwardly turned my head away.

 

Since he had already caught me stealing glances at him, I couldn’t pretend otherwise, so I carefully opened my mouth.

 

“…I’m sorry.”

 

At my words meant to defuse the situation, Ludrio lowered the paper he was holding and looked at me.

 

“I ruined Count Roderich’s hunt.”

 

His eyebrows furrowed slightly as if he had heard something unexpected.

 

“What…”

 

He finally closed the paper and let out a low sigh.

 

“There’s nothing to apologize for. The fault was mine.”

 

At his calm but very firm tone, my head naturally lifted.

 

His blue eyes looking straight at me were as calm as when he had helped me down from the horse.

 

“I thought I chose a gentle horse…”

 

Even as I let out a small sigh at the unexpected situation, I couldn’t take my eyes off Ludrio.

 

‘Is he being sincere?’

 

Doubt was the first thing that arose.

 

“I put you in danger.”

 

However, his eyes gazing quietly at me seemed very calm and truthful.

 

‘Then he wasn’t thinking I was pathetic in the forest either?’

 

My certainty that he must have been mocking me began to waver little by little.

 

Just from one statement that he too was shocked by the recent accident and thought it was his fault…

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“Ah…”

 

At his final apology, the resentment that had been building since the villa lost its form and scattered.

 

…Well, what fault could he have had?

 

Everything was just an accident, and the problem was that I didn’t know how to ride a horse.

 

“…It’s okay.”

 

Both his apology and me saying it was okay felt somehow strange, so I pulled up the corners of my mouth.

 

“Ahem.”

 

Ludrio also seemed to find the current situation strange and awkward, turning his head away with an embarrassed cough.

 

At that moment, I saw Iban overlapping with him.

 

To feel Iban’s innocence from Ludrio Rharhart.

 

That was as strange as the apology Ludrio had given me.

 

* * *

 

“Luna.”

 

I heard a voice calling my name softly.

 

“We’re here, so wake up now.”

 

Tap tap. At the light touch on my shoulder, I finally opened my eyes.

 

Ludrio looked me over once, then pressed a handkerchief into my hand and tapped his own chin a few times.

 

It seemed I had been sleeping while drooling.

 

‘How embarrassing. When did I even fall asleep?’

 

As I hurriedly wiped around my mouth, the carriage door opened and cool air rushed in.

 

Ludrio, who had gotten out of the carriage first, extended his hand as if telling me to take it.

 

When I took his hand and got out of the carriage, my legs touching the ground trembled again.

 

Not wanting to be caught still shaking, I quickly let go of his hand.

 

“You should rest.”

 

However, as if my trembling had already been felt by Ludrio, he said.

 

“I’ll send the doctor to your room.”

 

“I already received an examination earlier.”

 

“At least get some fatigue recovery medicine. He’s skilled, so it will help.”

 

Ludrio turned his head forward as if to say let’s go in, and as I followed his gaze.

 

“Ah!”

 

The entrance door opened and Iban burst out quickly, running over and hugging me.

 

Even though I tried to brace myself, the moment Iban rushed into my arms, my legs gave out and I was pushed back.

 

If Ludrio’s arm hadn’t supported my back, I would have fallen over.

 

“Iban?”

 

“Where did you go?”

 

The child rubbed his face against my skirt.

 

“Why did you leave without saying anything to me?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Iban’s voice was trembling a little.

 

Maybe the servant didn’t explain it to him separately.

 

“Iban, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

 

At the sniffling sound, I hurriedly knelt down and met the child’s eyes.

 

Had something happened at the estate while I was gone?

 

“Mother went to the hunting grounds with Count Roderich. Didn’t the servant tell you?”

 

“Mother was driven away…”

 

Just as Iban was about to lift his head that had been lowered.

 

“Let’s continue the conversation inside.”

 

Ludrio picked up the child.

 

“Ah, put me down!”

 

Suddenly lifted up, Iban flailed his arms and legs, struggling.

 

“Stay still.”

 

However, at Ludrio’s touch patting his back a few times, Iban suddenly stopped resisting.

 

Ludrio, holding the child firmly with one arm, extended his other hand to me as if telling me to take it and stand up.

 

“The servant would have told him about us. But he’s still whining because he couldn’t stand that short time and missed his mother.”

 

“Who. Who was whining?”

 

Iban, who had pushed himself away from Ludrio’s shoulder with his hand, turned his head to look at me.

 

The child’s eyes quickly scanned me as if feeling wronged.

 

He seemed to have a lot to say, but already seemed hurt and closed his mouth.

 

Then he stiffened his body as if he couldn’t lean on Ludrio at all.

 

“Should I carry him?”

 

“He’s heavy.”

 

He said while adjusting his hold on the child as if to show off.

 

The child kept his eyes tightly shut as if being held in Ludrio’s arms was terrible.

 

I could see that his stubbornly closed eyes had turned red.

 

‘Ah, he thought I had left.’

 

Only now did I notice his eyes, red and swollen as if he had cried alone in the estate for a long time.

 

‘…Well, that’s understandable.’

 

We had already been separated once before, regardless of the child’s wishes.

 

And although Ludrio had permitted me to stay at the estate for a while, he hadn’t told me the exact duration.

 

I was in a position where I could be kicked out again at any time.

 

Even so, I hadn’t asked separately when his “for the time being” would end.

 

I was afraid that if I asked unnecessarily, I’d end up being kicked out soon, so I deliberately pretended not to know and lived that way.

 

It seemed Iban had also been worrying about the day I would have to leave.

 

Only now did I understand Iban’s behavior when he had rushed over and hugged me.

 

Just as I was about to reach out toward the child, overwhelmed by a surge of pity.

 

“I was giving Luna a horse ride as you requested and was on my way back, Iban.”

 

Ludrio explained in a quiet voice while gently patting the child’s back.

 

“So stop crying now.”

 

At Ludrio’s gentle voice comforting him, Iban’s eyes, which had been closed for so long, opened.

 

“…A horse?”

 

“Yes, what you said wasn’t a lie after all. Your riding skills weren’t bad.”

 

Iban looked at Ludrio with a surprised expression.

 

“What do you…”

 

“It seems you’ve already forgotten what you said.”

 

Ludrio’s large hand swept across the child’s face once, then whispered something in his ear.

 

Rather than wiping away the tears, they were smeared across his face, but seeing that he didn’t hide his face from Ludrio, his mood seemed to have improved a little.

 

‘As I thought, it was Iban who requested it.’

 

Had Luna enjoyed riding horses that much?

 

Just as I was getting a little curious about where exactly she had been riding horses all this time, Iban looked at me with eyes that seemed to have many questions.

 

Then he immediately buried his face deeply into Ludrio’s shoulder.

 

As if his sulky feelings hadn’t completely subsided yet.

 

Iban’s mumbling sounds scattered very quietly, as if expressing that his feelings were hurt.

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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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