Star Child's Parenting Diary - Chapter 27

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 27
Chapter 6. The Missing Wizard’s Trail (7)
Lili pressed a silent kiss to both of Bell’s cheeks.
‘Going?’
Going?
Who?
Wiggle-wiggle.
Bell began to stir, as though reluctant to wake from her sweet sleep.
Through the haze of dreams, Ethan’s gruff voice cut through.
“The carriage is ready.”
“Thank you. I’ve imposed on you terribly.”
“Right. Go on.”
In that instant, Bell’s eyes flew open.
“No, no!”
She cried out so sharply that both Ethan and Lili turned their heads at once.
Bell blinked rapidly, taking in the scene around her.
Ethan stood with his usual unpleasant expression, one hand thrust carelessly into his pocket.
Lili stood by the doorway, gripping the strap of the bag slung at her side.
The fact that Lili was wearing that bag meant she was going somewhere.
“Don’t go!”
Don’t go! Take me with you!
Bell scrambled from the bed and clung to Lili’s legs.
“Oh, Bell. Go back to sleep…….”
“No! Don’t go!”
If you’re going, take me with you!
Unable to hide her helplessness, Lili merely stroked Bell’s head.
“Bell needs to stay here. This is your home now, after all.”
“No.”
“The rooms here are spacious, and the bed is wide, isn’t it? And there are so many toys. Delicious food everywhere……. Today’s treats were nice too, weren’t they? You liked the chocolate, didn’t you, Bell?”
“No!”
Bell shook her head firmly.
Of course the chocolate and butter cookies she’d eaten that afternoon had been wonderfully delicious.
But not delicious enough to give up Lili.
To think she had to part ways with Lili again, after they’d only just reunited.
Then who will sleep beside me at night!
“Lili. Sleep with me.”
You have to sleep with me.
Bell pleaded, but Lili gently tried to pry her small hands away.
“You should sleep with the Duke. Ask him to read you a picture book, and to sing you a lullaby. If you cuddle up tight with Poo-poo, that will be enough. Won’t it?”
“No.”
Bell’s cheeks puffed out stubbornly.
“I like Lili better.”
I like my sister Lili more.
Even at Bell’s pleading, Lili only looked more troubled.
And she went so far as to actually untangle the small hands gripping her skirt!
Rejected by Lili for the first time, Bell felt her heart sink.
Unable to bear it, Ethan stepped in and hoisted Bell up into his arms.
“Your sister has to go back too. This is your home. Lili belongs to the orphanage…….”
“No! Lili stays here!”
Then let my sister Lili live here with us!
Bell demanded this of Ethan with complete certainty.
Back at the orphanage, all the children had slept just fine in cramped rooms on narrow beds.
As long as she could be with Lili, she could give up all the toys, all the bright crayons, all the sweet treats.
So they could live together.
“If we linger any longer, it’ll be evening. The headmistress will worry.”
But Ethan’s resolve did not waver.
His tone remained as immovable as stone, and he gave Lili a slight nod.
“That’s enough. Off you go. The little ones at the orphanage are looking for you.”
“Ah, yes. Of course. Then I’ll be going now.”
Lili, her eyes darting uncertainly, bowed to Ethan with a slight curtsy.
Finally, she gave Bell a gentle wave goodbye.
“Take care, Bell. Goodbye.”
Goodbye.
“Go safely, Bell. Be happy.”
Bell recalled the day she had left the orphanage.
“Take care” was the farewell one offered when departing.
“Goodbye” was said when meeting or parting ways.
When both “take care” and “goodbye” were spoken together, it meant you would never meet again.
So the “goodbye” spoken at a reunion could never be said a second time.
“No!”
I don’t want to. Don’t go, Lili.
“No, no, no.”
“……!”
Plop.
In an instant, fat tears rolled down Bell’s cheeks as she burst into sobs.
Ethan, taken aback, froze in place, utterly helpless to comfort the child.
“Hey, why are you crying? We can just say I’ll come visit again next time.”
“No, no. I love you, Lili. Stay here.”
Don’t go. Let’s live here together.
Stay. I don’t want to part again.
Sometimes, when children from the orphanage left holding the hands of their new families.
Their voices were always bright and cheerful.
So Bell had thought she shouldn’t cry either.
Even if they never saw each other again.
Because they had all promised to smile and say goodbye…….
But this time, hadn’t Lili come looking for her first?
For a two-year-old child, bearing two separations in her short life was almost unbearable.
More than that, Lili was more to Bell than just a sister.
She was dearer, more precious, and the most special person in Bell’s entire family—Lili was everything.
“Bell…….”
“Stop crying. I’ll come play again.”
“Yes, Bell. I’ll come play again, okay?”
“No! No. Lili, stay.”
Stay here.
Be with me.
Bell thrashed against Ethan’s arms, desperate to break free.
Unable to resist the child’s struggles, Ethan set her down, and she immediately rushed into Lili’s embrace with all her might.
Lili couldn’t bring herself to push away the sobbing child and held her close.
The warmth radiating from the weeping girl’s head ached in her chest.
“Don’t cry, Bell.”
“This is driving me crazy.”
Determined never to let go, Bell gripped Lili’s skirt with all her strength.
Her small hands pressed so hard that the backs of them had turned white.
“Wahhhhh.”
Lili’s skirt was now smeared with tears, snot, and drool.
Yet the girl paid no mind and gently wiped Bell’s wet cheeks with her hand.
“Stop crying now.”
“Wah, wah, wah.”
Bell shook her head stubbornly at the command to stop, refusing to obey.
“H-hiccup, h-hic, Liii……. Ugh.”
Soon she was gasping for breath, her whole body shaking with hiccups.
Worried the child might stop breathing altogether, Ethan surrendered.
“Just stay one night.”
“What?”
“I’ll tell the orphanage. Just stay one night, please.”
“Wa, wa, waaah. Hic-hic!”
The usually arrogant Ethan’s pleading and Bell’s relentless wails made for a strange harmony.
Against such a symphony, Lili found herself unable to refuse and nodded.
Sniff, sniff.
Hiccup.
“You’re being ridiculous.”
A voice with a teasing lilt drifted from beside her.
Bell raised her eyebrows and stretched her puffy eyelids as wide as they would go.
The moment she glared sideways at Ethan sitting next to her, he made a tsk sound.
“Don’t look at me like that. Your face is all swollen.”
“Ugly.”
“Ugly nothing. Come here. Blow your nose.”
Ugh. What a whiner.
Ethan muttered softly to himself.
For all the fussing he made, his hand was remarkably gentle as he wiped her nose.
“Go on. Blow.”
“Blow.”
“Don’t just copy the sound—actually blow!”
“Bell can’t blow yet.”
“What? You can’t even do that?”
“No. I’m still a baby, so I don’t have the strength yet.”
Seemingly struck by the fact that she didn’t even have the strength to blow her own nose, Ethan stared down at Bell in dismay.
Bell, her philtrum twitching as the runny mucus irritated her, looked back up at him.
“Nose.”
Wipe it.
At Bell’s request, Ethan’s hand moved automatically.
“What are we going to do with you? Can’t even blow your own nose. Looks like you’ll be the runny-nosed one for life.”
“No!”
No way!
Incensed by his teasing, Bell slapped the back of his hand.
But his mockery didn’t stop even after his hand took the blow.
“Crying and can’t blow your own nose. You’re a total baby, a complete baby.”
“No!”
“Not even a real baby and you can’t even blow your nose?”
“Ugh.”
“What?”
Ethan pressed her plump cheeks with one hand, tormenting her, and laughed wickedly.
Bell resisted with all her might, pushing his hand away with her tiny fists.
“Uhhh!”
“You’re such a brat. Come here. Your nose is running again.”
In the brief struggle, more mucus had streamed down, and Ethan dabbed it away gently with a damp handkerchief.
“Master. Your wife has returned home.”
“I didn’t even go out to greet her.”
Checking the time belatedly, Ethan scooped Bell into one arm and rose to his feet.
“Nose.”
“What? It’s running again?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Ethan’s steps faltered as he was about to rush from the room while wiping Bell’s nose.
“Oh, that’s right. You come too. Dinner.”
He’d completely forgotten about Lili in the meantime.
While Ethan was thus occupied with an infant in one arm and a young girl in the other, Setia was already ascending the grand staircase, crossing the spacious foyer of the Estate.
At the landing, Setia’s eyes widened the moment she caught sight of them.
“Welcome home. I’m sorry I didn’t come greet you.”
“That’s all right. But……”
Setia’s gaze drifted slowly toward Lili.
Catching the question in her eyes, Ethan gave a slight shrug.
“There were circumstances.”
“Duchess, pleased to meet you. I’m Lili. I’m staying at the House of Grace Orphanage.”
“Oh!”
At Lili’s greeting, Setia’s expression brightened.
She had heard about Lili only in passing.
Bell had mentioned her often enough that Setia had long wanted to meet her someday, and now the opportunity had come.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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