Chapter 20

Instead of shattering his dream, I made an excuse.

“Because I need to focus on my studies, I want to stay in the dormitory.”

“In this world, there are things that are more important than studying.”

“But as of right now, studying is important.”

He looked at me with a gloomy expression.

I stepped back after looking at his sad eyes, eyes that would make others misunderstand.

“I have hired thirty new workers in the Duchy for you and your mother.”

“My God.”

Why did you do that?

If you had told me in advance, I would have insisted you not do that.

The Miller family was closed about their information in comparison to their quick handling of situations.

Sir Rune murmured beside Orion,

“Many of them will lose their jobs and will be driven to the streets.”

“Co-come to think of it, during the interviews I believe I heard that some of the maids had given up on their studies in order to raise their younger siblings.”

I didn’t want to ask why the Young Duke had personally interviewed the maids.

However, I could not help but flinch at the thought of the innocent, young breadwinners being driven to the streets.

Raynia spoke, fanning herself with a relaxed face as she did so.

“Give me a list of those you plan to evict. Our guild shall hire them and even care for their younger siblings’ studies.”

I knew that this wasn’t a proper time to say something like this, but I was struck by her imposing words.

“Raynia, so cool….”

“Hmph.”

As expected, there were many things money could do.

When I said that she was cool, Raynia’s back straightened a bit.

However, Orion, who was in front of me, his eyes became moist again.

It seemed like my new brother had a severe syndrome regarding the moisture of his eyes.

* * *

On the way home after parting ways with Orion, who had promised to meet next time, Raynia told me,

“From what I can see, you should put yourself together.”

“. . .”

“Otherwise, you’ll be bewitched and taken to the Duchy anyway.”

I believed that, if I refused him a few times, he would let me go.

I wondered why those people were so passionate in holding me back.

Raynia refused a sleepover, and the house I came back to was a house with an atmosphere that had become quite strange.

Dana, who had approached me carefully, pointed out,

“Laura had an accident. She broke the trophy cherished by Madam.”

My hand shook.

“Which one? Is it the lifetime best opera award from the salon?”

“Yes . . .”

If it had been a luxurious item, we could just buy a new one no matter the cost.

My mother was a fairly generous owner.

However, even her usually generous self had a few sensitive points.

It was items that acted as tokens of recognition for her status as a ‘performer’ or ‘artist’.

I nodded to the anxious maids.

“I’ll try to talk to her.”

“My Lady, also . . . Madam is a little drunk.”

Was that the reason that she returned from the banquet early?

As I opened the door and entered, the room was filled with the sweet yet bitter aroma of liquor.

Her two hands held a luxurious wine bottle and glass respectively.

Perhaps it was because of the alcohol that reddened her cheeks, she looked even more elegant.

Her humming, for her own pleasure and no one else, scattered beautifully in the air.

My mother, sitting across the bed while flapping her feet, looked at me and smiled.

The defenseless smile was crystal clear and beautiful.

“You came?”

“Yeah. How much did you drink?”

“It’s because I feel so good.”

She smiled faintly.

When I reached for the hair that was clinging to her innocent face, she meekly handed over the glass and the bottle.

“There are a lot of people who came today.”

“Right. And you find it a bit annoying.”

“It’s fine as long as Mom enjoys it. This is your wedding. You like it, don’t you? Boisterous things.”

My mother’s personality, one which hated being left alone and loved to fill her life with noise, was still hard for me to digest. Nor could I understand it.

Even so, when I felt her joy, it was enough for me to just soak in her happiness.

Was there anything to dislike when someone I love was happy?

She laughed at my words then fell onto the bed.

Then she murmured,

“This time is the last.”

“. . .”

“This time is the end.”

At her grin and murmur, I froze for a moment.

Lying on a bed in a dark room, she soon began to breathe like a child, as if falling asleep.

“One more time . . .”

But she was someone who never spoke of the ending.

I was a bit shocked when she held ‘last’ in her mouth.

The serious faced Duke crossed my mind.

No doubt that this wedding was a bit different than any of the others.

But I didn’t know whether it was because her partner’s position was amongst high nobility or because Mother’s thought process had changed.

I wondered whether the Duke would really be her last.

I tried to rid myself of my curiosity by tucking her fully sleeping form in a blanket.

Would there be any meaning if I asked her?

She was someone who changed her mind anytime.

By tomorrow morning, she would have been too distracted by the hangover anyway.

She may not even remember her words because she was drunk.

I reached out and caressed my mother’s face once, before leaving the room.

I could see the luggage piled up in the hallway, ready for moving.

“Because you two will become members of the Miller family.”

Orion Miller’s words ran through my head.

Is this a new kind of curse?

A chill crawled up my spine.