One Day, I Picked Up a Mom - Chapter 75

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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 75

Ludrio led me out of the banquet hall.

After passing through a long corridor and opening a heavy wooden door, we entered a room.

“….”

The room was furnished with a large couch for resting, a low table, and simple refreshments, but Ludrio didn’t seem inclined to sit down.

His back looked very stiff as he stood there blankly with the door closed.

‘Why is he so flustered?’

I didn’t really want to bring it up either….

Even after locking the door, he didn’t turn to face me.

Because of that, I couldn’t see what expression he was wearing, but he still looked very uncomfortable. Like someone who couldn’t figure out what to say.

“…I couldn’t help it either. You know? You’re tall and surprisingly handsome, and you treat me better than anyone else around me. So it’s natural that I’d come to like you.”

Unable to endure it any longer, I blurted out an excuse as if making the first move.

Even I thought it was an utterly ridiculous response.

‘Ah, he didn’t even ask, so it’s not really a response.’

Even while watching Ludrio finally turn around, only foolish thoughts floated through my mind.

When I should have been busily preparing my next words.

“It’s not like my feelings are that grand or significant. You don’t need to be so surprised.”

I glanced up at Ludrio, then quickly shook my head.

As if it really wasn’t a big deal.

“…I see.”

Ludrio’s brief response settled over my rambling words.

“I won’t be surprised. So Luna, you can also speak slowly. Only as much as you want to share.”

He seemed to have recovered from his surprise, returning to his usual composure.

“…I’m not asking you to do anything about it. I won’t do anything either.”

However, standing before his calm gaze as he looked directly at me made me even more nervous.

“I have no intention of making you or Iban uncomfortable with these half-hearted feelings. This relationship started because of Iban anyway, and I have no intention of taking anything away from the child.”

“….”

“I was in the process of sorting it out.”

If I had just left it alone, if I had just covered it up a little, I could have sorted it out by myself.

I would sort it out.

“That’s why I was keeping some distance.”

Ludrio quietly nodded. Then he moved his lips several times as if choosing his response.

“I see.”

The answer he finally chose was very brief.

That single phrase summarized my confession and this entire situation at once.

“…Yes.”

Only then did my complicated, tangled thoughts become a little simpler.

I had confessed that I came to like him and avoided him because of it, and I had clearly conveyed my intention to sort it out.

That should be enough.

“If you tell me what about my behavior made you uncomfortable, I’ll fix it.”

“No.”

He let out a soft breath and shook his head.

“There’s nothing you need to fix. So….”

“….”

“I thought our relationship was quite intimate.”

Intimate.

I raised my head a beat late.

“That wasn’t bad. So I suppose I wanted you to stay close to me, continuously.”

His words continued much more slowly than usual.

“I didn’t like you growing distant.”

He let out a soft breath and ran his hand over his face.

“I felt a bit wronged too.”

“Ah….”

“Still, I should have waited longer, that would have been right. But in the end, I pushed you with my own selfishness again.”

Ludrio took a step back. He looked very sorry.

Was it because he couldn’t accept my confession?

“I’ll be more careful from now on.”

He said quietly.

‘Is this how confessions are usually rejected?’

Why was he feeling so much responsibility for my one-sided feelings?

I was grateful that Ludrio was being so apologetic, but….

Just as I was about to nod, setting aside my bewilderment.

The door rattled as if someone was trying to enter from outside. When Ludrio glanced over, polite knocking followed from outside the door.

“Ludrio.”

Then a voice that seemed to have chewed each syllable thoroughly called his name.

It was the Dowager Countess’s voice.

Ludrio also recognized it was her and looked at me as if asking whether it was okay to open the door.

I quickly nodded and the door opened.

As soon as she saw Ludrio, she raised the corners of her mouth in a smile.

“You’ve lost your mind. You can’t be unaware of how many eyes are focused on you two right now.”

Then she continued quietly.

“When you two of all people disappear, won’t everyone start making up stories?”

Her tone was cold but her mouth was still smiling. I didn’t know she could do ventriloquism.

“Luciana, come out quickly. Let’s go back now.”

“Yes.”

“Ludrio, you go find Iban. I told you not to get deeply involved with the Crown Prince, yet you entrust your son to him? Do you even have a brain?”

She subtly pushed against Ludrio’s chest, blocking him from following us out of the room.

“Let’s go now.”

She extended her arm to me.

As I placed my hand on her arm, she quickly turned to walk away.

“Luciana, you are already full of flaws. Starting with having a child before marriage.”

The Dowager Countess seemed thoroughly angry, her voice very cold.

“So there’s no need to try to give them more ammunition.”

We had only been away from the hall for a brief moment.

But even that brief moment could apparently put Ludrio and me on people’s tongues.

Well, neither Ludrio nor I had particularly good reputations.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think that far.”

“Sigh. That Ludrio must have dragged you along.”

She said with a deep sigh as if she had a headache.

“…I was the one who suggested we go.”

“What?”

“…Yes.”

When I quietly nodded, her eyes narrowed slightly.

“Don’t try to cover for him unnecessarily. Even if you suggested it, Ludrio chose to do it.”

Seeing that her scolding toward me wasn’t too harsh, it seemed the Countess was thoroughly angry with Ludrio Rharhart.

“…Always be careful of your actions when you’re out. In the end, you’ll be the only one who gets criticized until the very end.”

“Yes.”

She looked at me for quite a long time.

As if she had more to say.

“Mother?”

“Alright, let’s go inside.”

She looked somewhat troubled, but soon erased the emotion.

The moment she entered the grand hall, no expression remained on her face.

* * *

“…Really? What else did you do besides that?”

“Yeah, I also looked at an animal encyclopedia.”

“An animal encyclopedia?”

Iban squirmed under the blanket and snuggled close to me. Then he brought his hand close to his mouth as if telling a secret.

“Don’t be surprised. I saw there….”

“What? What is it?”

“I saw a tiger too!”

I flinched at the sudden loud voice, and the child giggled.

“Iban, you startled me.”

“Hehe, but it wasn’t as fat as I thought? It had stripes all over its body.”

“Right, and sharp teeth too.”

“I also saw elephants and giraffes besides that.”

Iban took a deep breath.

“I forgot the name, but I saw something that looked like this too. It’s so strong that all the other animals are scared of it.”

Then he gestured with his hands around his face.

Perhaps because he had fully woken up after washing, the child’s eyes were bright and alert.

“Prince Gaien showed you many interesting things? He even took you to the greenhouse.”

Iban said he saw trees with spiky tops and plants that looked like large plates floating on water there.

He said they were so big that he and I could probably sit on them together.

“Yeah, but there was also an elderly person with us in the library. That person was the one who showed me the encyclopedia.”

“An elderly person?”

“Yeah, they said they’re family with Prince Gaien. So they’re family with me too.”

“You were with the Regent.”

Iban nodded roughly and changed the subject.

“And they said if you go to a place called a zoo, you can see them all. You can see all the amazing animals from that encyclopedia. They said it would be much bigger and more interesting than just looking at pictures.”

“Iban, you want to go there? It does sound like it would be fun to go together.”

Iban seemed to think for a moment, then nodded vigorously.

“So Mother, please ask.”

The child whispered quietly.

“Hm?”

“Ask Father. For all three of us to go together. I can’t say it.”

Iban passed the task to me and laughed awkwardly, seeming a bit embarrassed himself.

“I think Count Roderich would be happy if Iban asked him to go together too?”

“…Can’t Mother do it for me? I just. I can’t do it. I’ll do it next time. Just this once. Please?”

“Alright. Mother will ask for you.”

Iban started squirming again.

It seemed he was already excited about the outing with him.

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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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