The Duke Dad I Chose Can’t (Really) See Well - Chapter 78

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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 78

I carefully shared what I had been thinking from the beginning.

“You lost your memory and your eyes became like that… and all the people who knew your past left your side.”

“…”

“You don’t show it, but I thought you must be lonely. …And Count Karbendi too.”

I know that the count left in disappointment with Paterre Stukkyia’s actions.

But if his heart had completely turned away, he wouldn’t have investigated my background.

Watching and checking ultimately means there’s still affection left.

“…Aren’t you afraid of His Grace? He’s the Empire’s greatest scoundrel.”

The count asked in a questioning voice.

“I was at first. But now we’re family.”

I smiled lightly, but not in a way that would seem arrogant.

“So I’m going to nag him from beside him. I stick close to his side and keep talking to him, so he eventually listens.”

“…That stubborn fool listens to you?”

“Yes! These days he doesn’t say much even when I draw the curtains.”

“Ha. The world must be turning upside down.”

The count shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it.

But even as he said that, he seemed to want to confirm whether my words were sincere.

So I quickly added,

“You could come to Paterre Castle and see for yourself. Stukkyia accepts anything.”

“…”

The count, who had hesitated, was silent for a moment.

For just a brief instant, it seemed like a past I didn’t know flickered through his eyes.

I vaguely sensed that it was a more complex and difficult worry than primitive hatred.

And that Paterre Stukkyia also had such feelings toward the count.

‘Even though he doesn’t show it, he becomes particularly quiet whenever Count Karbendi’s name comes up.’

But I couldn’t ask what had happened between the two of them. I had no right to do so.

So I had tried to create at least a connection so they could meet again.

‘Of course, I don’t know how it will turn out…’

That’s when it happened.

“Miss, are you here? It’s about time we should be going.”

I heard a voice looking for me from outside.

Since the matter with the Snow Rabbits had temporarily stopped, it seemed like it was time to return to Paterre Castle.

“By the way, His Grace said he’ll submit the adoption consent form next week. All the other retainers’ names have been written, but only your name is missing, Count.”

“…”

“I just wanted to let you know this.”

Adding this lightly and playfully, I said “I’ll take my leave now!” and slipped out of the room.

Despite the intimidating atmosphere, no one stopped me, so I was able to safely return to Paterre Castle.

* * *

The night after the Stukkyia People left, the villagers gathered in one place.

They were people who had left their hometown to earn money, but lost their homes and families in an instant when a religious war broke out. So they were people plotting rebellion.

“Why did you let her go?”

“…”

“That girl, didn’t it seem like she knew all about our plans?”

Their plan was rebellion.

But rebellion was putting it nicely – at best they were imitating Stukkyia’s technology to make weapons.

Even so, if discovered by the Royal Family and Temple, it was obvious the entire village would become Forbidden Land.

Yet they continued this absurd endeavor because they had figured out Agnito’s true intentions.

Though they had relocated, they had lived here for quite some time. The Snow Rabbits don’t rampage without reason.

Thinking there must be another reason, the villagers quietly infiltrated the Snow Rabbits’ territory.

“…!”

And they saw clearly.

Snow Rabbits suffering in traps.

Those traps were something they knew very well.

They had used them to drive out other monsters from their hometown, which was now Forbidden Land.

And the people who had most favored these traps were the Temple and Agnito.

“So Agnito is the cause of all this.”

“Then maybe the Temple not providing relief to our territory was also…”

Despair and betrayal mingled together.

However, most of the territory’s people trusted Agnito.

They wanted to complain somewhere, but they were people in an ambiguous boundary, not fully belonging anywhere.

Even if they revealed this fact, other territory residents would be confused, and they didn’t know what Agnito might do to silence them.

This was exactly the sorrow of those who had lost their homeland.

Even with both feet planted on the ground, they couldn’t shake the feeling of drifting aimlessly.

So only a very few people scraped together all their money to obtain Stukkyia guns and began studying them.

They tried to make new weapons to subdue at least those who came to subjugate the Snow Rabbits.

If they secured evidence, even Agnito couldn’t completely eliminate them.

And the person who helped most in manufacturing those weapons was none other than Count Karbendi.

“I’ve lost my family. Please let me stay in this place.”

He appeared here suddenly with those words.

However, from his noble manner of speech and his literacy, it was vaguely felt that he was a noble.

Yet they didn’t drive him out because he too seemed to have lost much.

Biroche Territory was a place where those who had lost family, hometown, and their path forward gathered. They accepted the count without asking further questions.

Of course, they weren’t completely unaware of his identity.

The count occasionally met with his disciple to have various conversations. In that process, the villagers realized he was Count Karbendi, a retainer of Paterre Stukkyia.

“Is that the disciple you mentioned before? I think you said his name was Julian.”

“Yes. He’s a smart boy.”

The count also answered readily, perhaps thinking it didn’t matter if he was found out.

“Instead of making that smart disciple suffer more, how about returning to where you originally belonged. That disciple seemed to be saying the same thing earlier.”

“…”

“We all noticed. You didn’t lose your family, you left them behind, right? Helping us is also half self-abandonment.”

“…”

“Stop being stubborn and go back. I hear your grandson caused some trouble, but no matter how angry you are, if you miss the timing, it’s over. What will you do if you end up never seeing him again?”

At the words of the village’s eldest Old Man, the count was silent for a moment.

Soon his mouth slowly opened.

“It wasn’t trouble but false accusations. False accusations he took upon himself.”

“…False accusation?”

“My younger brother’s heart in thinking of his elder brother was so sincere that I had no room to intervene. That’s why I came out.”

His words ended there.

Though his entire manner of speaking was incomprehensible, one thing was clear.

Paterre Stukkyia had admitted to something he hadn’t done, and the Rebel Leader, greatly upset by this, had left Paterre Castle.

That rift had continued for over ten years until now.

Though he said that.

If the Rebel Leader had truly intended to cut ties with Stukkyia, he wouldn’t have continuously checked on Paterre Castle’s information through others.

If someone had courage, it would be resolved. I wanted to give such advice, but they were clearly third parties.

Without knowing the exact conflict, we couldn’t presumptuously interfere.

Moreover, we were at an age where we knew that cracks once formed don’t heal easily.

“You lost your memory and your eyes became like that… All the people who knew the past have left your side.”

“…”

“You don’t show it, but you must be lonely.”

But The Girl brought up that story all too easily.

“You could come from Paterre Castle and check for yourself. Stukkyia accepts anything, doesn’t he?”

A trivial piece of advice. It was as light as a passing breeze, but perhaps because of that, there was something that made one’s blood boil.

“…I’m sorry, I’m now…”

“Enough. Don’t say such things.”

The Old Man, who was the oldest in the Village and thus had become closest to the Rebel Leader, shook his head.

“You’re not bad enough a person to ignore a friend’s courage.”

As the Rebel Leader smiled faintly at the Old Man’s jest.

“What do you mean by that?”

A stern voice came from behind.

It was the Young Man who had stepped forward first when Hanisha pointed out the rebellion.

“The Girl acted like she knew everything. If both of them return like this, it’s only a matter of time before our affairs are exposed!”

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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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