Chapter 37

***

***

He already expected that she would be angry. In fact, he hoped for it.

But Alexis just looked down at Kathleen silently. After a while he answered.

“Yes, you are not a prisoner.”

His voice did not contain any emotions as usual. However, when he looked back at Luci, his eyes were somehow different.

“I didn’t even think of that. I apologize.”

Kathleen doubted her ears. What did that man say just now?

“From now on, you can go anywhere within the Duke’s residence.”

He said as he headed towards the door.

“Still, I can’t let you go outside. The Empress must have heard the news by now.”

A sigh came out. Alexis Walten was also such a person. He pretended to be generous, but he threw her into a pit.

“You have removed the shackles but tied a noose. Was I such a valuable tool to the Duke?”

He didn’t answer. He just looked into Kathleen’s eyes for a long time and then walked out.

***

Alexis kept what he said. From that day on, when she left the bedroom, the guards and maids who were blocking them meekly retreated.

When the curious Luci got bored of staying in the room, Emily would carry him and go outside, but now they could go out to the garden together.

“Where’s your Mom, Luci?”

Sitting on the lawn with a cloth spread out and clapping his hands, Luci, who was hugging Emily and looking at the branches, turned around and laughed.

“Mama!”

He seemed to be struggling to get down. Emily, who had burst into laughter, placed him down on the grass, and Luci, who had crawled at full speed, spread his arms out as if asking for a hug. Kathleen grabbed her child and hugged him.

“What’s this? Did you bring it for mom?”

“Eueung?”

“It isn’t for mom?”

The child was holding a leaf in its small hand. She reached out her hand, but Luci didn’t.

“I think the Young Master wants it. Paul cleans all the leaves every morning, so he can put it in his mouth.”

Emily said with a broad smile.

“All the servants talk about how cute Young Master Luci is every day.”

“…….I’m glad.”

It was obvious that the servants who were there before would have looked at Luci with poor eyes. While the current servants had a vague knowledge that Kathleen was a maid, they did not show any reluctance because she had never worked with them in person.

Kathleen, who did not want her child to feel such loneliness, was unfamiliar with the attitude of the servants, but was grateful.

“The girls in the laundry room and kitchen are even more excited since they don’t see the Young Master. We didn’t even ask for it, but they said they were practicing making baby clothes and baby food.”

Even if they didn’t, she was actually already thinking of increasing the types of baby food. Kathleen brushed the dirt off Luci’s elbow and said.

“I was thinking about going to the kitchen at least once. I’m going to try making new baby food tonight.”

“Yes, I will take care of the Young Master. Please feel free to go.”

“Yes. Luci, what do you want to eat the most?”

While she was resting in the sunlight, she was greeted by a new maid.

“Madame, you have a visitor.”

“A visitor?”

She looked behind her just in case, and saw Peter running towards her with her golden hair fluttering.

“Kathleen!”

“Peter?”

Kathleen handed Luci over to Emily and stood up hastily.

“Kathleen, how are you? Did you get hurt?”

As soon as Peter came near her, she checked Kathleen’s condition. She nodded her head.

“Yes, I am fine.”

“What about Luci? Is Luci okay?”

Emily held out the child in her arms and showed him to her. Peter’s face softened subtly as she looked back at the child.

“Momo!”

Luci, recognizing his aunt, waved his arms in joy, then Peter reflexively looked back at Kathleen. She nodded her head. Peter sighed in relief.

“I’m glad. You don’t know how much I’ve been worried. Luci, are you going to give that to me?”

However, Luci turned away from Peter’s hand that had reached out and hugged Emily again. He was still clutching the leaf in his chubby hand.

“He’s okay. He’s doing well.”

Kathleen smiled and reassured Peter. Emily greeted her, and went back with the child.

“I’m sorry. I wanted to contact you, but I couldn’t. Things happened so fast and now I’m back here… ”

“It’s okay. It’s clear how Kathleen came back here.”

Peter mumbled as she flopped down on the grass.

“It was already too late when I went back to Osole village. I should have sent some escorts ahead of time, but I didn’t expect you’d get caught like that.”

“… Neither did I.”

Kathleen smiled sadly.

“But Joseph helped me through to the end. Did you see? He won’t find out that Luci is his child.”

“Yes. Joseph changed Luci’s face.”

Peter, who was thinking about something, said cheerfully, trying hard.

“Don’t worry too much. I will definitely find Joseph before my brother. He will be alive.”

“Will you?”

“Of course. We are searching not only the forest, but also the Temple of Delafos and the whole of Meyer, so we will be able to find him soon.”

Joseph’s disappearance weighed heavily on Kathleen’s chest. He wasn’t dead since his body had not yet been found. She could only hope that Peter finds him before Alexis.

“By the way, Peter, how did you get in?”

“What? What do you mean?”

At Kathleen’s question, Peter widened her eyes with an expression that said she didn’t understand what she was asking.

“Did the gatekeeper let you in?”

“Yes. I’ve never been denied entry to Walten.”

Peter spoke indifferently, and said with a gloomy expression on his face.

“Oh…but my brother knew. I mean, that I helped Kathleen escape.”

What was he thinking, letting her in even though he knew?

‘Did you want to be merciful? Or are you showing off how confident you are that I can’t leave…’

She couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t come sooner.”

Peter apologized, interpreting Kathleen’s shadowed face in a different way.

“I was busy dealing with some urgent business.”

“You don’t have to apologize. I know that Peter is doing her best to help me. You don’t need to feel sorry, in fact, I should be thanking you.”

“Didn’t I tell you there’s no need for such things since we’re a family?”

“That’s right.”

Kathleen smiled softly.

“Peter, even if I leave, we can still be family, right? I want you to be Luci’s godfather, or godmother.”

“Of course. I already think of Luci as my child. But Kathleen.”

Peter asked cautiously.

“You’re leaving? Are you planning to go back to Osole?”

“No.”

She looked around her, tidying up the crumpled hem of her skirt. After making sure that no one was around them, she lowered her voice even further and said.

“Once you find Joseph again, I will leave for the Carmine Mountains with Luci.”

“Carmine? Why there? You’re taking your child to that harsh place?”

“Yes. There are people there from my mother’s family.”

She told her the incident from three years ago in the Carmine Mountains where she met a silver-haired and blue-eyed person like her. Peter was amazed.

“I’m glad that you’ve found a relative of your mother’s.”

“He seemed to be trying to say something to me. If I can find him, I will ask him to let us stay there.”

“Then, you don’t intend on coming back to Meyer?”

Peter hesitated and asked. Kathleen replied, thinking that her attitude was due to regret.

“I’m sorry, Peter… but I think so.”

“You mean you’ll be gone forever?”

“Yes.”

“Does brother know about this too?”

“No. I didn’t tell him.”

She thought she would be relieved, but Peter didn’t speak for a while. As Kathleen wondered why, Peter answered with a smile.

“Okay. Then I’ll keep it a secret.”

“Peter, do you have any other thoughts…”

“No. I was just sad to see Luci go. I’m sorry. Kathleen must be fed up with this place, but I was being selfish.”

Peter, who apologized quickly, hastily stood up and shook off her pants. Kathleen also stood up.

“I will be back soon. I’ll bring a present for Luci.”

“Yes, I will wait. Don’t worry, I won’t disappear without a word this time.”

“Thank you. I really want to say goodbye to Luci.”

Peter turned around smiling, but he seemed to be trying to hide his complicated feelings. Kathleen thought it was due to the planned separation. She then headed for the kitchen.

Everyone greeted Kathleen as she arrived at the kitchen. Although Emily told her that the maids liked her child, she was still a little nervous.

However, unlike the former maids, she was relieved by their favorable attitude. She tried to make baby food herself, but several baby foods were already ready, so she only helped with preparing them.

“Then we’ll send the Young Master’s baby food along with the meal later, Madame!”

Thrilled at the promise of being introduced to Luci, the chef exclaimed gleefully. Kathleen entered her room feeling lighter.

“Luci, are you done washing up? Mom prepared new food and I’m sure you’ll like it too. Later, together-.”

Kathleen’s words were cut off as she walked through the open door and heard her child’s bright laughter. An unexpected sight unfolded before her eyes.

Alexis was sitting on the sofa playing with Luci. No, to be precise, the child was riding on Alexis and playing.

“This, right now…..”

It was so absurd, words couldn’t come out.

“You’re here?”

He stood up, holding the child in one arm. Luci hugged Alexis’ neck and exclaimed in an excited voice.

“Baba!”

Alexis even had a leaf in his hand. It was the leaf that Luci had saved earlier which he refused to give to Kathleen and Peter.