Chapter – 08
Nos swallowed hard and muttered,
“Newt is…”
The moment I heard what Nos said about the stone inside the jewelry box…
I froze.
*This… was Newt?*
My face turned pale.
Seeing that, Nos hurriedly tried to explain.
“I’m sorry, Your Excellency.”
“This wasn’t her fault.”
“The storage conditions must not have been good.”
“Otherwise, Newt would never suddenly crumble into powder.”
Nos desperately searched for excuses.
But the Duke’s expression remained cold.
Grabbing the hem of my skirt, I reached out and timidly clutched the Duke’s sleeve.
“Wo… wong…. I dwidn’t mean to…”
(Wro… wrong… I didn’t mean to…)
The Duke gently pulled his sleeve away.
Then he frowned.
A quiet sigh escaped his lips.
“You’re troubling me.”
My whole body trembled like a leaf.
Instead of earning his favor…
I had only caused trouble.
*My chances of surviving just became even smaller.*
My vision gradually blurred.
Darkness closed in around me.
“Don’t trouble me anymore.”
“Go back to your room.”
“Ugh…”
A weak groan escaped my lips.
My body lost all strength.
I collapsed beneath the chair.
“Little Miss!”
As my vision narrowed…
I caught sight of the Duke.
For the first time…
His eyes were wide with shock.
Then—
Everything went dark.
***
Sakhaman Space
Surrounded by darkness…
I stared at the back of Duke Amity.
My father.
A kind…
Careful…
And righteous man.
I respected him.
I loved him.
To remain his daughter…
I gave up countless things.
But that was alright.
As long as he smiled while calling my name.
Even so…
I always knew.
There was a wall between us.
The Duke gave me a room.
He taught me the duties of nobility.
He even dined with me.
But only that much.
He never truly regarded me as his daughter.
Still…
I kept trying.
Because I loved him.
After hesitating for a long time…
I finally reached toward him.
“Fath—”
“Dad!”
Mina rushed past me.
Without hesitation…
She wrapped herself around Duke Amity’s arm.
Smiling brightly.
The Duke gently stroked her head.
And smiled back.
It’s okay.
That’s only natural.
Mina is the Child of Fate.
A wonderful girl.
She brings rain to droughts.
Hope to the poor.
And miracles to the sick.
If I work harder…
Father will smile at me someday too.
Suddenly—
The darkness shook violently.
“Stupid!”
A thunderous roar echoed from above.
I looked up in horror.
A hand emerged from the distorted darkness.
A familiar ring engraved with the Vallua crest gleamed upon it.
“If you keep hiding…”
“It’ll only make finding you more troublesome.”
“You filthy little rat.”
Duke Vallua kicked me without hesitation.
Moments later…
The Duchess of Vallua appeared.
“This useless child.”
The two of them slowly approached.
I instinctively crawled backward.
Please don’t hit me.
I’m sorry.
I’m sorry…
I’m sorry…!!
“Heuk!”
I jolted awake.
My legs kicked the blanket away.
Cold sweat soaked my back.
My trembling hands refused to stop shaking.
Only after spotting the familiar clock beside my bed…
Did I finally realize.
*It was just a dream.*
Outside…
Rain quietly struck the window.
Beside the bed sat a basin of water.
A clean towel rested nearby.
The chair was still warm.
Someone had been sitting there not long ago.
*That’s right…*
*I collapsed earlier.*
The moment I remembered what had happened that afternoon…
My chest tightened.
*What about the Newt…?*
After dying three times…
I had finally found somewhere I belonged.
The people of Dubblede were kind.
Even Duke Dubblede…
Wasn’t so bad.
But…
If they all came to hate me…
The Duke’s eyes would become just as cold as before.
Lea and Nos would stop smiling at me.
A sudden flash of lightning illuminated the room.
Something hidden in the darkness came into view.
***
Lea carried fresh clothes into Leblaine’s room.
She had sweated heavily during her sleep.
The maids followed closely behind.
All of them looked worried.
“Is the baby alright?”
“I heard even the doctor doesn’t know what’s wrong.”
Lea sighed.
“She sometimes becomes sick for no reason.”
“Once the fever medicine starts working—”
She pushed open the bedroom door.
The clothes slipped from her hands.
“What…?”
Leblaine…
Who should have been lying in bed…
Was gone.
The maids froze.
Lea screamed,
“Find the baby!”
The startled maids rushed everywhere.
They searched the bathroom.
They searched the hallways.
But there was no sign of Leblaine.
Pale as a ghost…
Lea hurried to inform the Duke.
Before long…
Every light inside Dubblede Castle was lit.
The entire castle searched frantically for one little girl.
Nos ran through the corridor toward the Duke.
“She isn’t in the annex.”
“The kitchen!”
“She might have wandered off looking for bread.”
“I’ve already checked.”
The Duke’s expression darkened.
So many people had been searching…
Yet not one child could be found.
*Did an assassin targeting Dubblede take her?*
*Or perhaps…*
*Did the Senate, which opposed the Child of Fate, kidnap her?*
“Mobilize the troops.”
“Expand the search—”
“Your Excellency!”
A shout suddenly came from outside.
The butlers…
Gardeners…
And guards…
Had gathered around someone.
Lea immediately rushed toward them.
“Little Miss!”
When Leblaine saw Lea…
She weakly lifted her hand.
The Duke stepped forward.
The guards quickly brought blankets and hot water.
Only then…
Could everyone clearly see her condition.
Her pajamas were covered in dirt.
Her bare feet were scratched and muddy.
Having stood in the heavy rain…
Her tiny body shook uncontrollably.
Her lips had turned blue.
Leblaine staggered out from behind Lea.
Then slowly walked toward the Duke.
“You…”
The Duke frowned.
Leblaine timidly held something out.
A single…
Red carnation.
“Ywo like cawnartion.”
(You like carnations.)
“……”
“I’m sowwy.”
(I’m sorry.)
The image of Leblaine clinging to his sleeve after breaking the Newt flashed through the Duke’s mind.
“Fowgive me…”
(Forgive me…)
The Duke couldn’t answer.
With trembling hands…
Leblaine desperately pleaded for forgiveness.
The moment he remembered brushing her hand away so coldly…
Regret filled his heart.
***
Thanks to the thunder…
I discovered carnations blooming in the garden outside my window.
So I hurried outside to pick one.
The rain poured endlessly.
But I didn’t care.
I had to do something.
Anything…
To keep them from hating me.
I nervously looked up at the Duke.
After a long silence…
He suddenly picked me up.
*Eek!*
Lea and Nos hurried over.
Looking flustered, Lea quickly said,
“Your Excellency…”
“The baby didn’t do it on purpose.”
“She doesn’t understand yet.”
“She’s still just a child.”
But the Duke ignored everyone’s words.
He carried me straight back into the castle.
*What is he going to do with me…?*
I prayed with all my heart.
But…
A single flower couldn’t possibly make up for destroying Newt.
The Duke walked into…
The bathroom.
*Is… this water torture?*
My whole body stiffened with fear.
He carefully set me inside the bathtub.
Then reached his hand toward me.
*He’s pushing me in!*
I squeezed my eyes shut.
…
But…
It didn’t hurt.
Slowly opening my eyes…
I saw the Duke kneeling on one knee.
Then…
He gently lifted my foot.
My eyes widened.
He was…
Washing it.
As the warm water touched my skin…
I instinctively flinched.
“Does it hurt?”
“No…”
“……”
The Duke silently looked at me.
Unable to bear the silence…
I quietly admitted,
“A bit…”
His movements immediately became gentler.
One by one…
The mud and dirt washed away.
The water turned cloudy.
As the dirt disappeared…
The cuts and scrapes became clearly visible.
I hadn’t even noticed them before.
I had been too desperate.
The Duke silently stared at my injured feet.
“Don’t wander around the castle late at night.”
*That’s all…?*
I had expected to be scolded.
But…
He said nothing else.
*That somehow makes it even scarier.*
Nervously fidgeting with my fingers…
I quietly asked,
“Dyuke… youw’re not angwy?”
*(Duke… you’re not angry?)*
An unusual silence filled the bathroom.
The Duke looked at me for a long time.
Then finally answered,
“I’m not angry.”
Really?
Are you sure?
I looked at him suspiciously.
The Duke frowned slightly.
Then…
He lightly flicked my forehead.
It didn’t hurt at all.
