One Day, I Picked Up a Mom - Chapter 46
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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 46
Ludrio’s touch lifted my head up a little more.
“You really are….”
“Yes?”
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“Strange.”
“What do you….”
“You’re not ordinary at all.”
Even though we were already close enough, he leaned his head down.
Familiar lines.
Strange atmosphere.
“No, no. Wait a moment.”
I was crouching down as much as possible in what seemed like a situation where we might even kiss.
“What on earth are you doing from this early morning.”
At the sudden voice, Ludrio removed his hand and turned his head.
Standing behind Ludrio was none other than the Previous Countess.
“Even if she’s just an employee, in a garden where everyone can see, I wonder what you’re thinking living like this.”
“…Were you there the whole time, Countess?”
Ludrio’s voice turned cold.
“If it seemed like a private conversation was taking place, it would be polite to excuse oneself. You must have been quite bored this morning.”
“Strictly speaking, I was resting here first, Ludrio.”
“Yes, in my estate.”
I let out a small sigh at the Previous Countess who appeared at a completely unexpected moment.
So….
‘But if you’re particularly harsh only to the Previous Count and Countess, then surely the fault lies with them.’
Did she hear that?
Did I just get caught gossiping behind someone’s back?
“So. What’s the reason you decided to stay longer at this estate? It would have been really nice if you had just left.”
“I thought that would be what you wanted. So.”
The Countess’s gaze completely shifted to me.
“I decided to stay here for a long time.”
Her sharp eyes quietly but persistently looked me up and down.
Since I had committed a sin, my body tensed up completely.
But strangely, her eyes looking at me didn’t seem as sharp as yesterday.
If she had heard what I said to Ludrio, she should have gotten angry first….
‘Well, my voice wasn’t that loud anyway.’
Already being a thorn in their side, it seemed I had avoided the worst situation.
It was really fortunate.
“If that child really becomes the mistress of this family as you wish, there will be a lot she needs to learn.”
At that moment, Ludrio moved his body to completely hide me behind him.
“She may have gotten this far through charm, but she’ll need to learn how to respect her elders. And she’ll need to learn to be careful with her words.”
…Ah.
She heard everything.
It felt like all the blood in my body was draining to my feet.
Of course, it wasn’t charm or fabricated words, but even so, I hadn’t wanted those words to reach her ears….
I was clearly the weaker party here, and I had no intention of becoming a warrior and fighting over such trivial matters.
“Since you eavesdropped, you know, but I’m also just getting better with Luna. Please leave her alone if possible. That way you can stay a little longer.”
“…Prepare tea time after breakfast is over. We haven’t even had a proper greeting yet.”
“I wonder about that.”
Ludrio shrugged his shoulders lightly.
“I’m not really inclined toward having tea time together.”
“…Ludrio.”
“We’ll be going inside now, so please continue resting.”
Ludrio turned around and turned my shoulders.
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders as if to show off and led me out of the garden.
“I’m sorry.”
Only after we were completely away from the Countess did a small apology flow out like a murmur.
“What?”
“…I wonder from where she heard us.”
Ludrio, whom I glanced at, blinked his eyes as if thinking for a moment.
“From when you said I was a good person?”
“Ah….”
“Why is your expression….”
He removed the arm that was around my shoulders and tilted his head sideways.
“She must be completely angry.”
“What.”
“Now she’ll dislike me even more. Then it’ll become even more uncomfortable with you too.”
My head naturally bowed with a sigh. Even though it wasn’t intentional, I felt sorry for making the situation even worse.
“She disliked you from the beginning.”
However, Ludrio still spoke as if it didn’t matter.
“We were already uncomfortable. Adding a little more to that won’t change anything.”
“….”
“…I’ll come get you at meal time.”
At those words, I hurriedly nodded my head.
Ludrio said he would eat separately from them, but I wanted to avoid being alone with the Countess even for a moment.
This time I might really get hit.
“Send the child to my study when he wakes up.”
Ludrio gestured as if telling me to go in, and I realized I had arrived in front of my room.
“Yes.”
Just as I quietly answered and was about to enter the room, Ludrio spoke again.
“The Countess might petition the Imperial Family to prevent our marriage.”
“…A petition?”
He nodded and stepped closer.
“Even after marriage, the Countess might pressure social circle contacts to make things difficult for you.”
Ludrio’s voice was very quiet. So that others couldn’t hear, like in the garden.
“I told you, you don’t need to make a good impression.”
Was he telling me to just endure it?
Since I couldn’t make a good impression anyway, just bear with it….
“You’re going to become the Countess anyway. Once you become the mistress of House Roderich, that much will become nothing.”
“Ah….”
Ludrio’s gaze looking down at me quietly had no wavering at all.
‘He said something like this yesterday too.’
This was what he had been telling me from the beginning.
Even if I didn’t try to make a good impression on the Previous Count and Countess, even if they found me disagreeable, nothing would change.
He once again guaranteed the dignity and reputation of being the mistress of House Roderich.
Ludrio was already protecting me and Iban. From moments I hadn’t even understood yet.
His large palm filled my entire field of vision.
“So, brighten up your face.”
His finger pressed firmly on my forehead.
* * *
Knock knock.
“Count, it’s me.”
Iban was in front of Ludrio’s study early in the morning.
Having been told that Ludrio was looking for me, I barely had time to roll around in bed before quickly changing clothes and coming out.
Knock knock.
“It’s Iban.”
When there was no answer and I knocked on the door again to urge him, a response came from inside telling me to wait a moment.
What on earth was he planning to say that he called someone this early in the morning?
And then he tells me to wait on top of that.
“This is really annoying.”
Iban leaned his back against the wall and quietly muttered while looking around both sides of the corridor.
Those people called the Previous Count and Countess, and the Count too – none of them were to his liking.
They were completely selfish and constantly looked down on people.
‘They should have thrown money at them or threatened them so they could never come near again.’
They found not only Luna but me distasteful as well.
So if the Previous Count won in the fight between the Count and his predecessor, we would be able to leave this estate.
Though he didn’t like threats, if they planned to drive us out with money, Iban hoped the Previous Count would win that fight.
Then this time for sure, he and Luna could go somewhere no one knew them…
After turning his head left and right once more to confirm no one was passing through the corridor, Iban carefully pressed his ear to the door.
And quietly, very quietly, he pushed the door little by little to create a gap.
Finally, he began to hear voices.
“Yes, I understand. I’ll deliver the train tickets by today.”
Train tickets.
“…And find out if there are any regions within the Empire that are lenient toward unfilial conduct.”
Unfilial. Unfilial conduct?
“Pardon?”
“You heard me correctly.”
“…Yes, I understand.”
Not long after, the conversation ended and footsteps could be heard.
Iban carefully closed the door with both hands and stepped aside, and soon after, Hark came out from inside.
“Good morning.”
…Hark. Iban’s eyebrows furrowed slightly at his smiling face.
“Yes, hello.”
It was already annoying to be called by the Count, and now he had to encounter Hark too.
This really was the worst morning.
“Well then, please go in.”
Iban hurriedly entered through the gap in the door that Hark had opened for him.
It wasn’t so much because he was afraid Hark might ask about what he had learned yesterday again, but because he was curious about what the Count would say.
“You called for me.”
Iban, who had hurriedly entered the study, glanced at the closing door as he spoke.
“Yes, Iban. First, let’s sit down.”
The Count, who had risen from his seat, said as he walked toward the couch.
Iban sat down while observing Ludrio.
What on earth was he trying to say…
“I called you because I thought you must have been quite anxious during this time.”
“Pardon?”
“Iban, if you’ve been uncomfortable because of me all this time, I’m sorry.”
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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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