Surviving as the Villainess’s Servant in a Martial Arts Novel - Chapter 41

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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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Episode 41

 

I, who had been stepping backward, hesitated.

 

As I stared blankly toward Mother, I heard that voice again, sounding as if it would break at any moment.

 

“Dan-a… Dan-a, are you here…?”

 

I quickly came to my senses and ran over.

 

“Mother, Mother…!”

 

“Dan-a…?”

 

“Yes, Mother, it’s me. Are you conscious? How is your body? Is there anywhere that hurts?”

 

“Dan-a, my baby…”

 

Mother tried to raise her hand as if she hadn’t heard my words. I quickly grasped Mother’s hand.

 

The sensation I felt in my hand was as hard as a tree branch, making me hesitate for a moment, but I soon held it tightly.

 

Perhaps feeling my trembling, Mother finally looked toward me. Focus returned to her clouded eyes.

 

I let out a sigh of relief and asked.

 

“Mother, are you conscious?”

 

“Ah…”

 

After a moment of silence, Mother smiled faintly.

 

“It was you.”

 

“Yes, it’s me. Mother’s daughter…”

 

“My daughter? No, that’s not right…”

 

“Pardon?”

 

As I tilted my head in confusion, Mother stared at me intently with an unreadable look and muttered.

 

“No, you’re not… you’re not…”

 

“…Mother?”

 

“You’re not our Dan-a, you’re… you’re.”

 

Mother quietly asked.

 

“Who are you?”

 

I completely froze.

 

All sorts of thoughts flooded through my mind. Why is she suddenly saying such things? Has she really figured it out? That I’m not her daughter? Why? When? When did she realize?

 

Then, does she resent me?

 

Without time to think further, my mouth moved on its own. I smiled as usual and played dumb.

 

“What do you mean who am I! I’m Mother’s one and only daughter, Seo Dan. Why are you suddenly, why are you acting like this? Are you perhaps confusing me with someone else? Oh, that could happen. Physician Jeong was here just a moment ago. He’s still outside right now…”

 

“No, our Dan-a is…”

 

Mother suddenly responded.

 

“…not so talkative.”

 

“…”

 

I fell silent. Watching me like that, Mother smiled faintly, thinking something.

 

“Our Dan-a… couldn’t speak well, you see. She wasn’t eloquent and her speech was clumsy. Especially when flustered, she would keep stuttering, so she was teased a lot when she was young.”

 

“…”

 

“Her personality was even more different. Dan-a was timid and very shy, so she had difficulty getting close to people. She couldn’t even dream of approaching others first. Also, because she was slower in her actions than others, people around her didn’t view her favorably, so she was always withdrawn.”

 

“….”

 

“So, she wasn’t a bright child.”

 

Suddenly, Mother let out a small sigh.

 

“But after the accident, she suddenly changed.”

 

I swallowed my breath.

 

“Her personality became bright and she talked more. It’s awkward to say this, but… I saw Dan-a smile so radiantly for the first time in a long while. That child was always depressed or frightened.”

 

“….”

 

“I was so happy to see Dan-a smiling that I never even thought she might be someone else. I didn’t want to think that. But the more time I spent with you, the stronger the sense of discord became, and eventually I had no choice but to accept it.”

 

“What do you mean by that…?”

 

“Because you liked me too much.”

 

“….”

 

“Our Dan-a… didn’t like me that much.”

 

Mother’s voice began to tremble.

 

“It was natural. From a young age, she couldn’t do what she wanted and couldn’t properly enjoy anything. She had to take care of her sick mother and only work – who would like that? It’s natural to resent it.”

 

“….”

 

“But accepting that fact was too difficult. If Dan-a had directly told me she disliked me, if she had said she resented me, I wouldn’t have known what to do… So I just turned away. I didn’t take care of that child’s pain.”

 

“….”

 

“How much she must have resented me. How much she must have hated me to the point of grinding her teeth. How much, how much she must have wanted to give up everything… That’s probably why she went up the mountain.”

 

Before I knew it, Mother was crying.

 

“When she said she was going to the mountain to gather medicinal herbs, I felt uneasy. Dan-a’s eyes looked strange that particular day.”

 

“….”

 

“Unlike usual, she didn’t stutter, and she seemed strangely energetic. As if something joyful had happened. Yet she didn’t look happy at all, so I wanted to ask what was wrong… but I didn’t. I just said I understood.”

 

“….”

 

“Perhaps I was aware of it. That Dan-a hadn’t gone up that mountain to gather medicinal herbs. Still, I couldn’t give up hope. That she wouldn’t make such a choice. That she would return to me.”

 

“….”

 

“Oh, who am I to say such things? What had I done for her that I could have such foolish thoughts? If I hadn’t done that, if I had properly asked Dan-a…”

 

Mother gasped for breath. Then she finally asked.

 

“Dan-a.”

 

“….”

 

“Back then, she died, didn’t she?”

 

I bit my lips tightly. My chest tightened and I felt like someone was strangling my throat.

 

But I had no choice but to answer.

 

“…Yes.”

 

“I see, so that’s how it was.”

 

Mother quietly shed tears.

 

Just like when I first saw Mother, watching her weep silently, I could only bow my head.

 

After a long while, Mother, who had barely calmed down, continued speaking.

 

“When Dan-a, no, when you woke up, I was truly happy. I thought Dan-a had returned. I thought the heavenly gods had watched over Dan-a and taken pity on us, giving us one more chance.”

 

“….”

 

“This time, I made up my mind to do well by you. Not to run away like a coward, but to properly become Dan-a’s support, and when Dan-a opened her heart, I would ask for forgiveness.”

 

“….”

 

“So when I learned you weren’t Dan-a, when I learned you were someone else, I was terribly sad. Now I… I wouldn’t even be able to ask for forgiveness.”

 

“….”

 

“Actually, back then, I was going to give up on life.”

 

Suddenly Mother looked up at me. In her eyes where the tears had stopped, a warm light was rippling.

 

“You kept catching my attention.”

 

“….”

 

“You must have had your own parents too, and it couldn’t have been easy suddenly having to serve a stranger as your parent. But you sincerely tried to be good to me. You truly regarded me as a mother and showed me affection….”

 

“….”

 

“Suddenly I had this thought. Ah, perhaps this child was lonely too.”

 

I lowered my eyes. My eyelids grew hot and my body began to tremble. I covered my face with trembling hands and murmured.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t say such things. I was always grateful to you. You always did your best for me. Sometimes I was scared because you were too good to me. What am I that you would do this much for me….”

 

“I’m really sorry….”

 

“I really wanted to be good to you. I wanted to repay you as much as the affection you gave me. But the more I was good to you, the better you became to me, and seeing you happy when you looked at me, before I knew it I had grown fond of you. And then I realized.”

 

“I am, I am….”

 

“That the bond between parent and child can be built even without sharing the same blood.”

 

“….”

 

“Child.”

 

Before I knew it, Mother’s eyes were looking directly into mine. Mother asked.

 

“What is your name?”

 

I cleared my throat that felt like tears would keep spilling out. Then I put my mouth to Mother’s ear as she lay there, and whispered quietly.

 

Mother smiled softly upon hearing my name.

 

“It’s a beautiful name.”

 

“….”

 

“I wish I could have called you by that name from the beginning.”

 

“From now on….”

 

I said haltingly.

 

“You can call me by it from now on. Always….”

 

“….”

 

“You can’t, you can’t leave like this. I’m the one who did wrong. I deceived you. You have to give me a chance to ask for forgiveness. There’s still, there’s still so much I haven’t done for you….”

 

“Child.”

 

Mother said quietly.

 

“When I said I wanted you to be happy… those were words I meant sincerely.”

 

“….”

 

“I don’t want you to be sad. I don’t want you to feel guilty. I was happy because of you. As much as I was happy, I hope you become even happier than that. You are now….”

 

“….”

 

“My daughter.”

 

“….”

 

“My daughter.”

 

Mother held my hand tightly. Then she whispered with a bright smile.

 

“I love you.”

 

I couldn’t bring myself to answer. Instead, I sat up and embraced Mother.

 

The frail body in my arms seemed like it would break at any moment. But the warmth we shared was so precious, and the heartbeats overlapping as one were so overwhelming that I held her even tighter.

 

Mother and I stayed embraced like that for a long while. When I finally pulled away, I opened my mouth.

 

“I also…”

 

I smiled brightly.

 

“Love you.”

 

Mother looked truly happy.

 

For a while, Mother and I chatted quietly together. Mother would listen attentively to my words and smile softly. And when dawn was about to break, she blinked her eyes as if tired.

 

Mother looked at me and tried to say something. I brought my ear close to Mother’s mouth. Mother murmured something and then gently closed her eyes.

 

A little while later, Mother fell into a deep sleep.

 

And she never woke up again.

 

Never.

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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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