The Villainess in the Childcare Story Doesn’t Hide Her Personality - Chapter 58

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“That won’t be necessary.”
I cut off The Duchess’s words cleanly.
She had certainly meant well in making her offer—a match between an orphaned commoner and a nobleman’s child was something ordinary people could scarcely imagine.
Moreover, if The Duchess arranged it, the other party would find it difficult to refuse.
The problem was that being a noblewoman was far from a life of leisure and indulgence.
As the mistress of a household, one had to manage its affairs diligently and maintain an active social presence—fail to do so, and you’d drag your husband down to ruin alongside yourself.
And since I had no intention of abandoning my position in the Imperial Bureaucracy, attempting to balance both roles would only lead to…
‘…burning out at full speed.’
I looked directly at both of them and spoke slowly.
“There is one condition I would ask for in return.”
“Now I’m curious.”
A faint smile crossed The Duchess’s face. Despite having her generous offer rejected moments ago, she seemed entirely unbothered.
“But I hesitate to mention it, as I suspect you’ll refuse.”
“How strange. You don’t strike me as someone who makes unreasonable demands.”
“I’m not asking for vast sums of money, land, or position.”
I drew in a breath.
What came next required careful navigation.
“However, since you may find it difficult to accept, I won’t speak of it without your assurance that you’ll truly grant it.”
“Intriguing.”
The Duke answered slowly.
“Most people would refuse without even hearing it, but I’ve always appreciated interesting individuals. Speak, Vice Director. What is it?”
“Write a parenting journal for me.”
Silence fell.
The Duchess’s sharp eyes widened in shock, and The Duke’s mouth hung open without a sound.
“A parenting… what?”
The Duke finally found his voice and repeated the words.
“As Vice Director of the Child Protection Bureau, I have already concluded that you two are unsuitable as Estella’s parents.”
In an instant, all color drained from their faces. I pressed on quickly before they could react emotionally.
“But for Estella’s sake, I wish to give you one more chance.”
The Duchess exhaled in relief.
“A parenting journal about Estella? That makes sense. You’ve always been concerned about us, haven’t you, Vice Director?”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You must write a parenting journal about Prince Cedric.”
It didn’t take long for The Duke’s angry voice to erupt.
“…Cedric? He’s already grown! He’s not a baby, not an adopted child. You’re asking us to write a parenting journal about our eleven-year-old son whom we’ve raised all this time—that’s simply unacceptable.”
“You said you would accept anything.”
I spoke sharply.
“And this is for your benefit as well. Your youngest son is so unhappy—don’t you feel even a shred of pity as his parents?”
“Cedric? Unhappy? That boy has everything he could want!”
The Duke waved his hand dismissively.
“I had to fight my brothers to claim this position! If my older brothers hadn’t yielded, I could have died. Yet that boy was born into abundance, learned magic easily thanks to his older brother, and never had a father like mine beating him senseless… So what exactly is he complaining about?”
Fortunately, his tirade was cut short by the Duchess.
The moment the Duchess called out softly, “Darling,” the Duke became calm as if by magic.
The Duchess exhaled a sigh tinged with bitterness, distinctly different from moments before, and spoke in a low voice.
“I understand that Cedric is struggling… but we deliberately leave him be because we don’t want to raise him into a weak man. I hope the Vice Director can understand that.”
I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.
In the original novel’s storyline, Cedric grows into an avoidant type who truly runs away from what he desires.
After running away and avoiding repeatedly, he joins his brother’s knight order and becomes someone who constantly regrets his own choices while offering advice to Estella.
Wouldn’t the future Cedric—truly a weak man—be exactly that, if I don’t intervene?
The Duke added in a cold voice.
“That’s right. How we raise our son is none of the Vice Director’s business. We’ll raise our son as we see fit, so the Vice Director should stop meddling and leave.”
I laughed aloud.
Genuinely amused.
Of course, it didn’t match the atmosphere, so when both of them looked at me with bewildered expressions.
“It’s amusing. Estella’s biological father said the exact same thing to me. That it’s his child and his business how he raises her, so what concern is it of yours?”
A cold murderous intent flashed across the Duke’s face.
“Who are you comparing us to right now!”
“I said you spoke the same words, not that you were the same person.”
I answered calmly.
“But I cannot say you are much better.”
“…”
After a brief silence, an unexpected sound burst from the Duchess.
Laughter.
“I always knew someone would land a blow on you one day, darling.”
“…Serena, this isn’t the time to laugh…”
The Duchess looked directly at me.
“Say more. Your purpose isn’t merely to anger my husband, is it? You’re a clever person, after all.”
“I have no intention of adopting Estella at the cost of making another child miserable. As Vice Director of the Child Protection Bureau, I have a duty to protect all children, and also…”
I paused deliberately.
“I believe Estella wouldn’t want Cedric to become miserable either.”
“Miserable or unhappy—nonsense. My son is growing up in a far more satisfactory environment than most.”
“Is that truly so?”
Something began to bubble and churn in my chest.
Whether the other party is the Duke, the Grand Duke, or even the Emperor, it doesn’t matter.
Stubbornly refusing to see what’s plainly visible—isn’t that obstinacy?
“Why do you think Cedric climbed that tree in the first place? And when you could have solved it with a single gesture, why did he so desperately avoid calling his own father?”
“He was embarrassed.”
The Duke answered bluntly.
“All children are like that. It’s instinct not to let parents discover their trivial mistakes.”
I lowered my head.
“It was mere shame. Cedric was consumed by fear at that moment—the fear that the Duke must never learn of this, a fear that eclipsed even the terror of falling from such a height and suffering grave injury.”
I made one final appeal.
Desperately hoping it might have even the slightest effect.
“Your own child was trembling in fear, and yet you feel no pity for him?”
“It is merely something he must overcome on his own.”
…A wall.
I knew all too well this feeling of speaking to a wall.
And how to navigate this situation.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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