The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 141

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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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Chapter 141

 

* * *

 

The more I spoke, the more my body temperature seemed to drop. Rubbing my stiff, frozen palms together, I barely managed to open my mouth again.

 

“In my past life when I ran away to the streets, I starved to death. So this time… in this life, I tried to save money and go into exile.”

 

“So that’s why you chose me.”

 

“Yes…”

 

Father let out a thin sigh.

 

“So you’ve been enduring this place all this time for exile.”

 

“No!”

 

I quickly raised my head.

 

Realizing that my desperate plea for him not to misunderstand was reflected in my distorted expression, I hastily bit my lips.

 

“Only at first, only when I was four years old. After I summoned the demon and opened my heart to the Voice, and after he pointed out concerns I didn’t even know I had…!”

 

“Summoned a demon?”

 

“There were special things that happened in this life. The reason I was confirmed as fake in my past life was because I had almost no divine power. But after touching the Newit that Father was going to give to the Emperor, my divine power awakened.”

 

I rambled on, spilling out stories about my power.

 

The gist was that after my divine power awakened and I obtained Etoile, I gained ‘the ability to summon demons through a passage.’

 

And I told him about my people like the Voice and Hope Trading Company’s Deputy Leader Seria, Zachary, and Trigon.

 

Father narrowed his eyes as if gauging something and nodded.

 

“What was the concern that the Voice pointed out?”

 

“…That as time passed, it wasn’t my fate I wanted to escape from, but my family.”

 

“…”

 

“I was afraid you might come to hate me like Duke Amitie or Duke Valois. If Father and my brothers, and the Dubbled people hated me, I wouldn’t be able to endure it like in my past life, so I was so, so scared of that…”

 

Father quietly watched me as I mumbled while tears streamed down my face.

 

My voice was so choked with moisture that it was barely comprehensible, and Father quietly listened to my rambling words.

 

When the story was coming to an end, he reached out to me as I trembled with fear, rubbing my wet face with his palm.

 

“P-please don’t hate me. Don’t despise…”

 

“If I could hate you for hiding something from me, I would have sent you away from the beginning. Leblaine, I’ve suspected for much longer than you think that you had something special about you. And that was…”

 

“That I was hiding something?”

 

Father smiled as if troubled and lifted me into his arms.

 

“No, that I would someday give even my heart to this child.”

 

The tears that had barely stopped began flowing again. Father pressed his forehead against mine and whispered.

 

“Even though I noticed that you fabricated the poisoning incident, the reason I was angry is because I am your father.”

 

His always low voice felt warmer than spring sunshine today.

 

I completely contorted my face and tightly hugged Father’s neck.

 

“You look ugly.”

 

Father said playfully while gently pinching my cheek.

 

I know. Today’s words from him were the greatest expression of affection that someone who had killed his emotions and lived his whole life could manage.

 

“You’re ugly.”

 

Words I had heard a very long time ago suddenly came to mind.

 

I loved you from that moment.

 

Realizing that he had been loving me ever since I grumbled about Duke Dubbled saying mean things, I cried out loud.

 

I no longer needed gold and silver treasures, luxurious mansions, or delicious meals.

 

“Ah, Father… I hope Father doesn’t get hurt.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I, I hope you don’t become da-dangerous for my sake.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

“I want to live as Father’s daughter for the rest of my life!”

 

Father, who was holding me tight, whispered “Yes” in a choked voice.

 

* * *

 

Theodore gazed at Leblaine, who had fallen asleep as if collapsing, for a long time.

 

“Don’t give birth.”

 

“Don’t give birth to our child? Theodore!”

 

“I have no confidence that I can love our child. Being born as my child will only lay thorny paths beneath their feet. Just like how I lived as the Duke of Dubbled’s son.”

 

“My goodness, Theodore. I see now that you’re a coward.”

 

“I am…!”

 

“You’re scared that you won’t be able to protect them. That means you’re worried they’ll live a life like yours.”

 

“You always have a talent for twisting my words.”

 

“Then, are you afraid that this child will target your position just as you did to your father? Are you worried that despite being bound by the name of family, they’ll look for opportunities to kill each other whenever there’s a chance?”

 

“That would be closer to the truth. Let’s go with that. So the child won’t need me as a parent.”

 

He remembered his past self who had spoken cruel words to Lisette when she was pregnant with Johan.

 

That strong woman, who had stood defiantly with her arms crossed, smiled as if she had no choice, placed her swollen hands on her belly, and whispered.

 

“Parents aren’t the only ones who raise children. Children also raise their parents. They’ll teach you very tender emotions.”

 

“…”

 

“Someday there will come a moment when the child makes you grow.”

 

That person’s words were always right, and this time was no different.

 

He hadn’t raised Leblaine. Leblaine had raised him. She had taught him very tender emotions.

He didn’t raise Leblanc. Leblanc raised him. She taught him very tender emotions.

The foolishness of not calculating gains and losses.

 

 

The heartbreaking tenderness that comes with a single tear.

“Please become my father.”

 

As he stroked the child’s head, soft strands of hair scattered between his fingers.

 

Just then, he heard a tapping sound against the wall. His three sons were looking at him from the open doorway.

 

Isaac, who approached the sofa first, looked at the sleeping Leblaine.

 

“She wouldn’t even notice if someone carried her away.”

 

“She cried that much.”

 

The brothers had never seen their usually mature younger sister cry so sadly.

 

The brothers, who had been chuckling at the child who had fallen into a deep sleep as if she had fainted, settled on the sofa across from them.

 

Johan asked.

 

“What will you do now?”

 

“Are you asking how I’ll deal with those who target this child?”

 

Henri shrugged with a smile.

 

“Of course not. Those people aren’t foolish enough not to know they’re already recorded in Father’s death list. What we’re curious about is the independence that Leblaine mentioned.”

 

Isaac said, supporting the back of his head with his clasped hands.

 

“Let’s do it. It would be good for us too. If whatever real Child of Fate comes, the Little One will be in danger – how can we just watch that?”

 

Henri frowned, covered Leblaine with a blanket, then spoke.

 

“If it were easy, we would have gained independence long ago. Dubbled’s independence has been the long-cherished wish of those who made their home in this territory, but it hasn’t been achieved to this day.”

 

Theodore, who had been quietly listening to his sons’ words, spoke.

 

“Right. It’s not something that can be accomplished in a short time.”

 

“Yes. At least 20 years—”

 

“10 years.”

 

Theodore’s eyes gleamed sharply in the darkness.

 

“Before the new Child of Fate begins the ‘ritual,’ we will gain independence.”

 

“To avoid interference from the Empire, a principality won’t be nearly enough.”

 

“It’s what parents do – accomplishing even impossible things for their children.”

 

“See, brothers? I told you so, didn’t I? Father is weak when it comes to the Little One—”

 

“Aren’t you my children too?”

 

The brothers, who had widened their eyes, looked at Theodore with strange expressions.

 

“Pardon?”

 

“You are my children too.”

 

He also understood the struggles his sons faced without their knowledge.

 

Johan’s appearance resembled his own like a miniature version, but his temperament was more like Lisette’s.

 

He wasn’t the type who could cruelly and harshly drive the territory’s people and surroundings like previous Dubbled Family Heads. That’s precisely why he was so desperate as the eldest son.

 

Even when hurt, he couldn’t show his pain, and he gave his all to act nonchalantly in ways that went against his nature.

 

Conversely, Henri and Isaac were lost because they weren’t the eldest son.

 

In terms of talent alone, they were superior to anyone, but in an Empire that follows the principle of primogeniture, they had no opportunity to display their abilities. To a Family Head, talented brothers were merely political enemies, not family.

 

For example, Javelin, who was as talented as the Three Young Masters and became the head of a branch family, ultimately couldn’t enter politics and lived off subsidies from the main family.

 

If it weren’t for the pretext of filling the mistress’s vacant position, she would have been tied to the edge of the territory, living like a doll for the rest of her life.

 

Dubbled’s second and third sons were in a position where they couldn’t step forward precisely because their abilities were so outstanding.

 

“If House Dubbled becomes independent, you’ll have duties as royalty.”

 

“….”

 

“….”

 

Henri and Isaac clenched their fists tightly.

 

Henri, who had stronger desires than any of his brothers but understood his position well, hung his head low.

 

Isaac, whose nose tip had turned red, laughed with a giggle.

 

“Ah, I guess I can’t just play around and live off others like now!”

 

“….”

 

“Right, little elder brother? Huh? What’s wrong, are you crying?”

 

“You idiot… Who’s crying?”

 

Johan smiled faintly as he watched his bickering siblings.

 

“Father is… different from other fathers.”

 

“How are other fathers different?”

 

“Other fathers love their children.”

 

“Johan, becoming a parent right after having a child is actually a very difficult thing.”

 

“But….”

 

“Children help parents grow. Someday he too will grow to become your father.”

 

Does Father know?

 

Does Leblaine, who fell asleep exhausted from crying, know?

 

That that child helped Theodore grow into a father.

 

That that small child raised the most selfish and vicious villains in the world into a family.

 

Johan kept smiling throughout this heartwarming scene.

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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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