The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 54

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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 54

It seemed Henri had handed over the people who had been following him to the Imperial Palace, then came here with Duke Dubbled.

Since I had tracking magic on me, finding me wouldn’t have been too difficult.

We rode together in the carriage heading to the Imperial Palace.

I was lost in thought the entire time.

‘What’s going on.’

Why would Andy know Zachary’s tactics?

The boy’s name was definitely Andy. It was clearly written as Andy on the list too.

‘Most importantly, he’s really weak.’

Like how he burst into tears thinking the maids might beat him up.

I couldn’t match him with Zachary, who was such a powerful knight and was prudent and thoughtful.

As I was struggling with my thoughts, something cold touched my cheek with a tap. It was Isaac.

“Sorry, I was underground so I couldn’t hear. I should have come faster.”

“It’s okay.”

“…Little One, why do you always say it’s okay?”

“Huh?”

“You say it’s okay that you lived in a place like that barn, it’s okay that I couldn’t protect you, it’s okay when I give you gifts.”

Isaac looked truly upset.

I had gone through several regressions, but I had always lived a difficult life. I was used to it, so most things didn’t bother me.

Life in this place was truly satisfying. If it weren’t for preparing to flee, I wouldn’t even feel like wanting anything more.

Isaac, who had been staring at me intently, dropped his shoulders. Henri’s eyes had also dimmed, and Duke Dubbled said nothing to his sons.

When we got off the carriage, the sun was slowly setting.

Isaac and Henri returned to their rooms with dejected faces, and I was worried about those kids.

As I was fidgeting restlessly, Duke Dubbled knelt down to meet my eye level.

“Leblaine.”

“Yes.”

“From now on, never do anything dangerous again.”

Was he angry because I only caused trouble?

Though it wasn’t intentional, the fact that I had almost been in danger several times was troublesome from a guardian’s perspective.

When I drooped my eyebrows feeling dejected, he smiled faintly.

“I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”

“…”

“Rest.”

After saying that, Duke Dubbled gently ruffled my hair and headed inside the castle.

I briefly touched the hair where Duke Dubbled’s hand had been.

I felt strange.

“….”

My throat kept tickling, so I shook my head vigorously. Then I squeezed my eyes shut and ran to the opposite side from the Duke.

‘I don’t have time to worry about this. I need to find Zachary quickly.’

I was running frantically and didn’t look ahead properly, so I bumped into someone.

“Ugh….”

I hit quite hard and was rubbing my forehead when I heard a familiar voice say “Young Lady?” It was the butler.

“What’s the matter?”

“I need to prepare for exile. Listen, I have a knight in mind. So butler…!”

He stared at me as I clenched my fists tightly and acted urgently. It was that look that seemed to see through everything inside.

“Is Young Lady’s anxiety related to returning home today with the Duke and Young Masters?”

“N-no, it’s not like that!”

“I see it is.”

“I said it’s not….”

When I answered while avoiding his gaze, the butler hummed and looked into my eyes.

“What is the reason Young Lady has set such a dangerous goal as exile?”

“Because it’ll become dangerous later. When Mina comes, I’ll become a sacrifice.”

“With Duke Dubbled’s protection, the situation is likely to be different from before.”

“But it’ll change someday.”

“Change, you say.”

“The Duke and Young Masters just think of me like an interesting pet.”

Their affection is like loving a cat that came into the house. Otherwise, it would be strange for them to like me so much when we don’t share a drop of blood.

How can they keep loving someone else’s child? I’m not a sunny child like Mina.

“Young Lady. Do you know how difficult it is to protect Young Lady who has become more special than in your past life?”

“….”

“His Excellency has many loyal and talented people. Even Eugene North is someone the Imperial Palace covets. But he sets aside such people and always handles Young Lady’s matters personally.”

“….”

“The Theodore Dubbled I know doesn’t do such troublesome things for a pet.”

I didn’t say anything, and the butler looked at me quietly and said.

“Now I see that exile wasn’t a means of survival, but a restriction.”

My shoulders jumped up with a start.

“Go away. I don’t want to talk to the butler….”

“Did you restrict yourself, thinking you’d exile anyway so you shouldn’t trust anyone?”

“Go away! I don’t want to hear it!”

“You were afraid of being abandoned by family again. Rather than the danger of failing at exile, you wanted to abandon them before being abandoned.”

“I told you not to say it!”

“That was what you feared most, more than regressing again.”

I glared at the butler with blurry eyes. I bit my lips tightly and gripped my skirt hem to keep from crying.

He watched me trembling for a while, then bowed and passed by.

I ran into my room and slammed the door shut! Then I hid myself under the blanket.

It felt like a box I had bound with chains and hidden away had been torn open.

* * *

Opening my eyes in darkness so complete that not even a knuckle was visible, I immediately realized.

This is a dream. The nightmare that always chases after me.

As soon as I realized it, my surroundings began to shift smoothly.

This place was the temple of the Imperial Palace. The place where I was offered as a sacrifice in my first life, where my entire body was torn apart.

On the temple altar sat an elephant bag. It was the bag I had packed in preparation for exile.

Someone grabbed the bag. The owner of the skeletal hand dripping blood drop by drop was ‘me’.

Me, with my head half-mangled and my entire body covered in wounds.

[Foolish Leblaine, after being treated like that, do you still want to trust people again?]

Adult Leblaine, who had muttered in a low voice, looked at the small me standing blankly.

‘But… but the Dubbled people seem different.’

[You said the same thing about Duke Amitie. Our father is different. You said the same during Valois too. This time I’ll live differently.]

‘This time might really be different. In my previous lives, there were no people who treated me as well as the Dubbled people do.’

Adult Leblaine twisted her lips and approached.

[That’s because they think you’re special right now.]

‘…’

[When Mina comes, things will change. If it’s revealed that you’re a fake Child of Fate, you’ll be abandoned again!]

I covered my ears with both hands.

It felt like the pain from when I became a sacrifice and the agony from when Duke Valois whipped me were flowing into my head.

Adult Leblaine who approached me split into three, becoming Mina, Duke Amitie, and Duke Valois.

[Will you beg for affection like a beggar again this time?]

[And when you regress again, you’ll resolve once more. This time I won’t trust anyone.]

[Just like always!!]

The faces of those who screamed became grotesquely distorted.

Black pus dripped from their entire bodies, and their mouths were filled with horrifyingly sharp teeth.

‘D-don’t come. Don’t come!’

I got up awkwardly, pressing my hands against the floor, and ran.

But those things persistently clung to the shadows and followed.

[I’m sorry, Leblaine. But this is fate. Die for me, for the country.]

[Mina is a special child.]

[You rat-like bitch. Nothing goes right because of you!]

The thing that had completely turned into black pus pounced on me. My breath was completely cut off as if I had fallen into a swamp.

I struggled to escape from the pus that had swallowed me up to my neck.

‘Please save me. I don’t want this. I don’t want this! Please save me!’

The dream always ended only after I was completely consumed by darkness. It would be the same this time too. I slowly let the strength drain from my hands.

Then, I saw a faint light before my eyes.

“…ble.”

“…laine.”

“Leblaine!”

Gasp!

I quickly opened my eyes. My entire body was drenched in cold sweat.

Before my eyes, I saw Isaac looking flustered, Henri with eyes full of worry, and Duke frozen in place while holding my hand.

“Are you okay?”

“Were you very shocked by what happened today?”

“Pull yourself together.”

This place was filled with light.

I looked at the three people whose outlines were blurred by the magic lamp light and swallowed my tears.

Even without looking, I could feel that my face must have been hideously contorted.

I gripped Duke’s hand tightly. Even though I tried to hold back, tears kept flowing.

“Ugh… ugh…”

Seeing me bite my lips tightly to avoid making any sound, Isaac frowned.

“You idiot! Why are you crying without making any noise!”

While saying that, he himself tensed his forehead to prevent the tears pooled in his eyes from falling.

Henri pushed Isaac aside and stroked my head.

“Did you have a nightmare?”

“…”

“You must have been scared. I’m sorry for not coming earlier.”

Henri had been constantly apologizing to me for things that weren’t even his fault since some time ago.

He apologized for being late even after protecting me, and apologized for not knowing what I liked.

Duke pulled me into his arms.

“I don’t know what to do when you cry.”

“…”

“I just want to destroy the world.”

At his words, I couldn’t help but laugh.

Duke’s clumsy way of loving me, not knowing how to show affection or how to love, was both amusing and heartwarming.

Dream Me was right. I am stupid. Even after living four times, I’m still a foolish idiot.

I wanted to believe again.

Even knowing there was a greater chance of getting hurt, even knowing that running away would be the easier path, I didn’t want to let go of the warmth touching my skin.

‘Just one more time, for the last time.’

When I smiled with my face completely wet, the faces of the Dubbled men brightened. Lea and the maids, who had been fidgeting helplessly, also dropped their shoulders in relief.

“…Father.”

When I called him, Duke’s gaze trembled for a moment.

It was the first time I had used that title since receiving Etoile.

“Brother.”

Henri and Isaac’s eyes widened as if they would fall out, and they gaped.

“B-b-brother…!”

“Leblaine just called me…”

“No, he did it to me!”

“He was talking to me, you idiot.”

Watching the two quickly bicker, I buried my face in Duke Dubbled’s shoulder.

I was in the light. That nightmare was no longer frightening.

That night, I threw away the Elephant Bag.

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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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