Chapter 21: CH 21

I pouted my lips and put my chin on Nero’s head.

It’s not like I only talk when I want something…….

Still, he’s my dad. Can he be a little more friendly?

I shook my head quickly to shake off the thought that had just occurred to me. Let’s not forget that he is the “Grand Duke Estin Conler” just because he bought me a doll and was nice to me. He’s a person who would throw away her own daughter coldly if she misbehaved.

“Do you want me to tell you a funny story?”

But also… The snout, who cannot overcome the awkward atmosphere, ignores the owner’s will and moves freely.

What kind of interesting story should I tell?

It’s so obvious that the jokes I read in my past life won’t work on this person. But I have already spoken out, and the Grand Duke’s face showed a slight interest.

He always had an expressionless face so a slight change can easily be noticed. I quickly began to recall and explore interesting events in Mary Conler’s life.

“I was so hungry when I was in the orphanage, so I went to the next-door neighbor with a friend named Leo to dig up potatoes.”

“Potatoes?”

“I was really going to dig just two! It’s delicious when you grill it and eat it, it was the best snack you could get…….”

“Is being independent your hobby?”

Who has that kind of hobby? I did it to make ends meet.

Even if I wanted to say that…, the forehead of Grand Duke Estin wrinkled as if he was serious about what he asked.

Actually, there are a lot of things that are comfortable to do alone.… I can understand why he thinks it’s a hobby.

If I have to write a resume later, shouldn’t I write “independent” in the hobby section? I feel like I’m a well-prepared person.

“Well, anyway!”

[DO NOT SHARE/REPOST OUR TRANSLATIONS READ ONLY AT MOONLIGHT NOVELS]

“Yes, continue.”

“My friend named Leo saw a rope and thought it was a snake. So, I ran while screaming and then suddenly I fell and rolled.”

“…….”

“I thought it was a real snake, so I screamed and ran away. Then I fell into the mud in front of me and my whole body turned black, and the man next door who heard us screaming, came out. We were startled so we screamed again, our shouts continued to be heard in the small town.”

“…….”

“I thought we’d get caught trying to dig up potatoes secretly, but eventually we didn’t get caught but then a rumor that a monster was appearing in the village spread for a while, so the quiet town became very quiet at night.”

“So?”

“……It’s the end.”

It was a story that made me and Leo laugh but there’s nothing I can do if Grand Duke Estin reacted like this.

… Are you the type of person who is not good at being fun and coherent?

As I was talking about myself after a long time, I completely forgot that the person in front of me is Grand Duke Estin. I was so excited that my energy went up.

I want to see Leo again. Is he doing fine?

I heard he moved to an orphanage in Conler. Will we be able to meet again someday?

I have a chance to meet Astina later since she’s part of the story but for Leo, there’s no guarantee.

I feel a little sad.

“Is Leo the friend you were with then?”

A little melancholy, I hugged Nero again, Grand Duke Estin suddenly brought up Leo.

Back then… It must be the day I was caught trying to steal the director’s money.

I nodded my head.

“You two must be best partners.”

Grand Duke Estin smirked as he said those words…… it must have mean that the two of us cause a lot of accidents together, my ears got hot for no reason.

It’s true that Leo and I cause a lot of accidents so I cannot refute.

“Your friend is doing well.”

“…….”

“Maybe you’ll meet again later.”

Grand Duke Estin gave me hopeful regards as if he had noticed that I was worried and missing Leo.

I didn’t bother to pry any more.

When Grand Duke Estin said we might meet again, I was really convinced that one day we would really meet.

I mean… I think I have some sort of belief that the Grand Duke Estin wouldn’t lie to me.

“I can’t believe potatoes are the best snack.”

“It was delicious….”

“You didn’t have that much to eat?”

“As you may have seen then, it’s a place that’s been stuck in the corner of the mountain…….”

“That’s why you didn’t grow up.”

I guess so.

“…….”

“…….”

Then again, the carriage was filled with breathtaking silence.

Even if I wanted to say something more about what happened in the orphanage, he might think that’s the reason I did not grow properly.

[DO NOT SHARE/REPOST OUR TRANSLATIONS READ ONLY AT MOONLIGHT NOVELS]

Grand Duke Estin, who was looking at the changing scenery outside the carriage, opened his mouth indifferently.

“Once again,”

“……?”

“You can do whatever you want.”

“…….”

“Because you’re a Conler, too.”

Business, too?

I nodded without asking my question.

As I felt earlier, I thought telling me this thing was by far the kindness Grand Duke Estin showed me. Even if I can’t feel any warmth in his voice.

After feeling such a touch of affection, the silence in this carriage did not feel as heavy as before.

“And…..when you were sick and lying-in bed.”

Concentrated on the passing scenery outside the window, Grand Duke Estin’s mouth, which seemed unlikely to open, opened. When I was sick, it seemed like he was referring to the time I was knocked down by the director and then transferred to Conler’s castle.

Why are you suddenly bringing up that story?

As I tilted my head and looked at Grand Duke Estin, he swept his hair up and continued.

“You called your grandmother.”

Oh, I remembered my grandmother from my previous life appeared in my dream. When I remembered the only warm memory of my past life, my eyes were teary. Did my grandmother reincarnate like me? Since she was such a kind-hearted person, she must have become an angel. She must be in the sky.

“Is she someone you know from the orphanage?”

I was at a loss for a moment at the follow up question. She was my grandmother in my past life, but I can’t tell him that. I didn’t know what to say, so I hugged Nero more tightly in my arms.

“If she’s a person you’re deeply indebted to, I’ll do my best to repay her…….”

“Imagination!”

“What?”

“It was an imaginary person.”

Grandma, I’m so sorry…….

But there was no grandmother who was nice to me near the orphanage.

However, I thought that if I say it was my grandmother in my previous life here, he would see me as a strange child, so I rolled my head and started to spit out words.

“I mean, I was alone there, so I wanted to have a family. I saw a grandmother who came to pick up my friend in the orphanage, so I imagined it based on her…….”

“…….”

“I thought it would be nice if my grandmother could take care of me whenever I’m sick.”

Once the snout burst, I began to talk randomly. I could see one eyebrow of Grand Duke Estin being distorted. I felt a sense of shame.

[DO NOT SHARE/REPOST OUR TRANSLATIONS READ ONLY AT MOONLIGHT NOVELS]

“That won’t be the case whenever you’re sick from now on”

“……?”

“Now, instead of imagining, call the real one instead.”

What does that mean?

I did not easily understand what Grand Duke Estin said, so one of my eyebrows was distorted like the Grand Duke’s. This, I think it’ll become a habit, too.

“Now, you have a family that will take care of you. “

This is really cheating.

Why are you coming in without a blinker?

His unexpected words made me tear up and buried my face in Nero’s back. So, when I’m sick later, I’ll call you instead of my grandmother.

Dad….

My heart felt warm and soft. I was kind of happy because I thought Grand Duke Estin really thought of me as his daughter. I nodded softly because I thought my voice would Crack. Grand Duke Estin nodded without saying much and fixed his gaze outside the window again.

With a somewhat comfortable mind, I also focused on the scenery outside the carriage, and at first glance, a thought came to my mind.

But why did you treat Mary like that before?

In the midst of such worries, the carriage arrived at the Conler’s residence. Perhaps she saw a carriage enter the main gate through the window of the mansion, and Bonita came out to meet me.

How long has it been since someone was waiting for me at home?

It was the first time I felt this way.

And I came back together with ‘Dad’.

Is he accepting me because I’m not as bossy as ‘Mary’?

I thought I should be nicer.

‘Mary’ being so ostracized…… It occurred to me that it was definitely not about the money.