The Baby Raising A Devil - Chapter 81

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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 81

“I asked what happened.”

As Javelin’s voice turned cold, Lea hesitantly spoke.

“It was an accident that happened during a conversation. The young lady is still young and cannot control her emotions.”

“Seeing how you’re protecting her like this, she must be the Child of Fate.”

“…It’s my fault.”

Javelin glanced at me briefly, but only swallowed a sigh without saying much else.

Meanwhile, Mireille stared intently at the beautiful woman who was holding her.

“Who are you…?”

“Javelin Arieju. Lisette’s close friend, and your aunt.”

At the tenderly melting smile, Mireille took a deep breath.

* * *

“Are you really Mireille’s aunt?”

Mireille, who had regained her energy as if she had never almost collapsed, beamed with joy in Javelin’s arms.

“Yes. I am your aunt.”

“Mireille didn’t know she had such a wonderful aunt. How exciting!”

Javelin smiled warmly and rubbed Mireille’s cheek with her knuckles.

“Appearing this late and burning your aunt’s heart to ashes, yet you say you’re excited.”

“But that’s not Mireille’s fault.”

At those words, Lea’s eyes dimmed. However, she quickly smiled and answered, “That’s right.”

The maids spoke to me in small voices as I stood blankly at the doorway, “Shall we go, Young Lady?”

I nodded and stepped out the door.

When I went out to the corridor, the captain was standing there.

“Captain!”

I deliberately greeted him brightly, but the captain’s face was stiffly hardened. It seemed he had been watching the situation inside through the open door, just like me.

The captain and I headed to the greenhouse.

In the greenhouse where only the two of us were present, I picked up the glass of juice the maids had brought.

“It’s already spring. Time flies fast, doesn’t it?”

“…”

“Oh right, I said I need to choose a familiar. Who do you think would be best, Captain? I think the Angel with Torch would be good.”

“Please don’t force yourself to smile.”

I stirred the orange juice with the straw.

“It’s nothing big. I just had a brief fight with my younger sister.”

“If it’s nothing big, then why do you look so forlorn?”

“I’m not. I’m just remembering old times.”

The longer I spend alone, the more melancholy I become. It’s because old memories keep coming back.

My first life watching Duke Amitie and Mina from behind, and my second life swallowing stale bread while secretly watching the excited Valois family preparing for dinner.

‘Don’t get depressed.’

Positive thoughts.

Positive thoughts!

The Dubbled family cherishes me very much. It’s only because Mireille just arrived recently, but soon they’ll share their attention with me too.

Even now, Henri and Isaac often visit to check if I’ve eaten.

“I heard that Javelin ultimately assigned the maids to Mireille’s side. You usually overturn things at other times, so why are you staying quiet this time?”

“Because she’s Father’s daughter.”

Because I know how much Father, who is most precious to me, longed for Baby Bird.

My brothers don’t show it either, but sometimes they stare blankly at Baby Bird, who they say resembles the Duchess.

When I looked at the aide with clear eyes, he let out a thin sigh.

“A letter came from Seria. It seems we’ve caught the tail of the ‘client’ who ordered Young Lady’s kidnapping five years ago.”

“How?”

“We found someone who worked at the House of Hope and was involved in slave auctions. She said she’ll contact Young Lady as soon as she makes contact.”

I nodded.

I discussed a few more matters about the aide and Hope Trading Company, and asked him to check on the progress of the long-distance teleportation circle that Veronica was making.

After finishing our conversation and coming outside, the sunset was already setting.

While walking down the reddened corridor, I ran into Johan.

“Johan.”

“What are you doing here.”

“I just finished talking with the aide. Have you eaten?”

Today, because Javelin came, the family will be dining together.

When I was in the greenhouse, a maid came to get me, but I declined because it seemed like it would be an uncomfortable situation.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I hate noisy gatherings.”

“I see.”

“Have you eaten?”

“Not yet.”

“Let’s eat together.”

“…What?”

“Let’s eat together.”

I opened my eyes wide.

‘This is the first time Johan has suggested eating together.’

I said “W-wait a moment!” and grabbed a passing servant to ask him to prepare dinner.

“Where should I set it up?”

“Um, that’s…”

While I was pondering, Johan spoke.

“The third floor herb garden.”

“Yes.”

There was an herb garden in the Imperial Palace?

When I looked at him with such eyes, Johan passed by my side and said.

“It’s a place Mother used to manage when she was alive. It’s not used now.”

“Ah.”

I answered like that and followed Johan.

I wondered where on the 3rd floor there could be a place suitable for an herb garden, and it turned out to be at the end of the corridor. There was even a tapestry hanging there, so I didn’t even know there was a door in that spot.

‘This is my first time coming here.’

The field wasn’t maintained at all. The soil was completely dry, and the surroundings were full of withered and twisted grass.

At the right edge of the field, there was a strange table that looked like both a gazebo and a platform.

Only this place was cleanly wiped.

I was startled when Johan took off his shoes and climbed up.

“Is that okay?”

“This place was made because Mother said she wanted to lie down spread-eagle when she got tired of managing the field.”

I felt it when I saw the notes between the Duchess and Father at the Imperial Capital Mansion, but the Duchess is truly an interesting person.

I giggled. Then Johan asked “Why?”

“Because she’s unique.”

“You’re similar to her.”

“Me? I look like Mireille.”

Gentle-looking Mireille seemed to be made in the image of the Duchess.

“Well. From what I see, you seem more like Mother.”

“Yes, yes. Let’s go with that.”

It didn’t feel too bad to be told I resembled someone who was beautiful and charming like the Duchess.

While Johan and I were having trivial conversation, the food arrived.

When I put the caprese with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese neatly stacked on a biscuit into my mouth, my mouth was in ecstasy.

‘The West Wing cooks are really skilled.’

Dubbled’s cooking ingredients were of really good quality, so whatever was made boasted the finest taste.

After finishing all three caprese on my plate, I picked up my fork to attack the pasta.

At that moment, Johan wiped the corner of my mouth with a napkin.

“Getting it all over yourself while eating. This is exactly like Mother too.”

Johan, being the oldest of the three brothers, seemed to remember the Duchess vividly.

I thought he wouldn’t have met her often since he was educated under the Previous Duke, but I’m glad he seems to have many memories.

“The Duchess was an adult but she ate while getting it all over herself?”

“Especially watermelon. It’s a fruit that only grows in the Ruskun Region, but Mother loved it so much that Father often got it for her.”

“I know watermelon too. I eat it often in summer. Liking watermelon is really similar to me.”

Just as I was saying that.

“Kyaa─!”

A scream-like shout was heard.

Startled, I looked toward the doorway and saw Mireille with a bright red face, fuming.

“Who are you! Who are you to say you resemble Mother!”

“….”

“You don’t share a single drop of blood with Mother! Mother’s daughter is Mireille, so why are you saying you resemble her!”

After saying that, Mireille ran over and pushed me hard! I fell to the ground in an instant and rubbed my throbbing tailbone.

“What are you doing… Ugh!”

Pasta noodles, basil, and lettuce from the salad came flying at me wildly.

Mireille, completely agitated, grabbed handfuls of food and threw them.

“Take it back! Take it back, I said! Stealing away Older Brother secretly and spouting nonsense! You fake!”

“Stop it!”

“Did you think I wouldn’t find you if you hid? You little mouse!”

I clenched a handful of dirt tightly.

“A mouse?”

“That’s right! People said so. They said you were adopted because there was no Mireille. That Father brought you as Mireille’s replacement! If you were adopted thanks to Mireille, you should at least show some effort— Kyaah!”

Mireille’s body floated up into the air.

It was due to Johan’s mana.

He frowned and stared at Mireille, who was clutching food in both hands.

“Let me down. Put me down, Older Brother! Waaaah—!”

When Mireille started crying loudly, people who heard the commotion came rushing in.

“Miss, what’s… Good heavens!”

The employees who discovered the child floating in mid-air turned pale and desperately tried to pull her down.

But Mireille, suspended by magic, couldn’t be easily brought down.

Crack—!

A sharp sound came from somewhere. It was the sound of Javelin cutting through Johan’s magic with aura.

Mireille fell to the ground with a thud. Having fallen on her bottom like me, Mireille cried even louder.

“Waaaah, waaah!”

“Miss….”

Lea quickly embraced the child.

Before I knew it, the other family members had also entered the herb garden. Father furrowed his brow, while Henri and Isaac looked at the chaotic herb garden with bewildered expressions.

I brushed off the food and stood up.

Meanwhile, Mireille continued crying as if she would bring the place down.

“It hurts! It hurts—!”

Seeing the child crying as if screaming, Father frowned and gestured to Henri.

Henri swallowed a sigh and reached out his hand to Mireille.

Whooom—.

With a small vibration, an activation seal appeared on Henri’s hand, and Mireille’s reddened leg returned to its normal color.

‘Ah, that’s right.’

Henri was a mage who possessed the extremely rare healing ability.

Since it wasn’t divine power, he could only heal minor wounds, but Mireille’s bottom probably wouldn’t hurt anymore.

“What happened.”

At Father’s words, Mireille sniffled and said.

“I came because they said Older Brother was here… But….”

“Tell me properly.”

“Sister said she resembled Mireille’s mother and herself.”

Johan spoke in a flat voice.

“—So that’s why you pushed Leblaine and threw food at her.”

The family’s faces hardened. Mireille trembled delicately and mumbled.

“But she’s Mireille’s mother. Sister has been with the family for a long time so she’s close to everyone, but Mireille isn’t like that. The only one who thinks Mireille is precious is mother, but if sister takes even mother away, then Mireille will be…”

Isaac burst out angrily.

“What kind of nonsense are you spouting!”

“That’s still no reason to push Leblaine and throw food.”

When Henri added coldly, Mireille’s shoulders shrank.

Lady Javelin opened her mouth.

“That’s enough. Isn’t this something a young child did out of anxiety?”

“Aunt!”

“Aunt.”

Henri and Isaac called out, but Lady Javelin silently looked at Father.

“If His Excellency had paid more attention to Baby Bird, this child wouldn’t have been so anxious as to pick a fight with the Child of Fate.”

“Talking nonsense is quite a talent.”

When Father replied in a low voice, a sharp glint appeared in Lady Javelin’s eyes.

“If Baby Bird had grown up in Dubbled as she originally should have, would this have happened? This is the fault of all of us who failed to protect Baby Bird.”

Father and Lady Javelin’s gazes clashed sharply.

“It’s okay!”

When I shouted, everyone’s attention focused on me.

“I’m fine.”

“But little one…”

“It wasn’t a big deal. It was just food so it didn’t hurt much. So please don’t fight, okay?”

Everyone fell silent.

I approached Lea and looked at Mireille who was being held by her.

“Mireille.”

Lea carefully let the child go. The child who met my gaze stubbornly stared at the floor.

I pretended to gently stroke the child’s shoulder while whispering.

“What’s your relationship with Duke Valois?”

“…!”

Mireille instantly stiffened.

“Do you think I won’t be able to find you if you hide? You foolish little mouse.”

“If you were lucky enough to be adopted into a prestigious family that produced many great scholars, you should at least show some effort.”

Everything that child had shouted were all Duke Valois’s catchphrases.

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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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