CHAPTER 046
"Why did you two leave? You just disappeared without a trace."
Unfortunately, Lewis didn't shake the clover at all. I went to the trouble of giving it to him!
Unyielding as ever, Lewis responded harshly.
"I didn't want to be associated with you."
"What?"
"So why did you butt in? I was just sitting quietly."
Wow, they're bickering even here.
"They really do get along well, huh?"
Yeah... if you could call that getting along.
Standing beside a beaming Michael, I nodded awkwardly.
Bella's carriage and Lewis's carriage headed toward the capital.
This time, Michael was the one riding with Lewis.
'Bella would be upset, so I'll go with her this time!'
Selina was already in Bella's carriage.
"Lewis, you don't mind riding with me, right?"
"Sure."
Lewis responded indifferently to Michael's bright smile.
"But where did you two really go?"
"Where would we go? We were sightseeing."
He replied nonchalantly, not wanting to reveal they were looking for information about his father.
He hadn't found out much yet, so there was no benefit in saying anything prematurely.
"But you weren't on the main road with the stalls. What were you looking at?"
That question made him pause. Suddenly, Michael was asking sharp questions with a harmless face.
Lewis stood still for a moment before reaching into his pocket.
What he pulled out from his jacket was the three-leaf clover Selina had given him.
"Clover collecting."
"What?"
Michael's mouth dropped open in disbelief.
Let him think what he wants. Lewis had no intention of explaining further.
What was the big deal about disappearing for a while when he hadn't even planned to bring these kids on the trip?
There was a reason Lewis was reluctant when Selina said she'd bring the twins along.
'I'm sorry, we're looking for information about your father, and now we have to bring the twins.'
Selina seemed to think that was the only reason, but there was more to it.
It was because it interfered with him being alone with her.
In truth, Lewis still didn't understand why that bothered him more.
'Was I secretly looking forward to spending time alone with her again?'
Boden was a place with much more to see than the countryside where he grew up.
But the purpose of the trip wasn't leisure, so why had he expected that?
Normally, he should have been annoyed about the investigation being interrupted, as Selina said.
Maybe it was possessiveness.
He thought he might just want to monopolize her time, considering how he had coveted special moments with her before.
'They look like a very affectionate couple, holding hands even here.'
'Huh? No, we're not!'
'You're not?'
'Well... we might be soon. Haha.'
But strangely, at that moment, his chest felt ticklish.
'Why?'
Why did he feel that way? When Selina made such comments, he should have thought, 'What are you talking about?'
He wanted to be her priority, not necessarily her boyfriend or anything.
Maybe he had just heard too many strange things.
Lewis found himself staring at Selina without realizing it.
Of course, these feelings were a secret from Selina.
When Bella was causing a scene with a peddler and he was left alone with Selina, she said something unexpected that filled him with confusion.
It seemed like there was something about his father.
'Why did Father never tell me anything?'
From a certain point, he started hearing stories about his father that he hadn't known.
What he thought he knew well about his father turned out to be an illusion.
Feeling like his world, which had been firmly established, was cracking.
When he felt that indescribable emotion, it was Selina who comforted him.
She handed him the clover with words of comfort.
'Just put it between the pages of a book. It's my wish for your happiness, Marquis. Now you'll be happy every day!'
To him, the three-leaf clover had been just a weed. Its significance changed because of her words.
'She wishes for my happiness?'
Her words were a great comfort to Lewis at that moment.
"Michael, did you know this flower's meaning is happiness?"
"Huh? Yeah, I know..."
Seeing Michael's bewildered expression, Lewis grinned.
He didn't usually believe in flower meanings or charms, but this time he decided to believe.
Because he felt he might actually become happier.
Because he had met Selina.
Lewis's feelings were moving, even without him realizing it.
* * *
The day trip to Boden ended, and they returned to their routine.
Despite seeming like he would rush to meet the Duke of Croft at any moment, Lewis hadn't done so yet.
He seemed urgent back then, but it's surprising.
If only I knew something, I would have told him. It's frustrating not being able to help!
I've been thinking a lot about Lewis lately because of what happened recently.
Even now, on my way back from an outing, the events of the past come to mind.
Still, he's her brother-in-law, so wouldn't the Duke know something?
With such thoughts, I looked out the carriage window and saw a familiar store.
"Oh, here!"
It's the cafe I went to with Bella before. The desserts here were pretty good.
My stream of consciousness quickly drifted to the delicious desserts I had eaten there.
"Should I buy some cake to take home?"
The decision was quick.
A little later, I was holding a box of cake from the cafe.
"I need to get back quickly to eat this with Bella."
With joyful steps, I headed back to the carriage.
"Selina!"
A voice called out to me from somewhere.
There's no way that voice could be here?
I turned around in surprise and saw an unexpected face looking at me.
"Mother...?"
It was my mother, who had gone down to Elsner County after the magic wand incident.
What is she doing here...?
Not expecting to see her here, I looked at her with wide eyes.
"What brings you here?"
My voice was tinged with awkwardness, certainly not bright.
After what happened, how could I be glad to see her?
Mother looked disappointed by my words.
"You are quite cold to your mother after such a long time."
Wouldn't it be strange to be glad?
She had declared that she would cut ties, so what was there to be disappointed about?
Mother didn't seem to want to rebuke me further. Instead, she came over and grabbed my wrist.
"It seems this will be a long conversation, so let's move somewhere else to talk."
"No, you can talk here."
I need to get back to eat the cake.
I pulled my wrist out of her grasp.
"You are so heartless."
Mother looked at her empty hand in disbelief.
She didn't scold me. After all, there were guards with me.
Seeing how unwilling I was to talk, Mother got straight to the point.
"I heard what happened. You're still living at the Croft Ducal residence?"
"Yes."
"Are you still close with them?"
"Why are you asking?"
We're close enough to live together.
I deliberately put on a stern face, just like how Lewis often did with others.
I won't give in easily! I was on high alert, and Mother spoke.
"I have a favor to ask."
"It won't do any good to ask-"
"Ask the Duke."
She cut off my words with something utterly ridiculous.
"Could you ask him to let us move back to the capital?"
She wanted me to ask the Duke to let our family, who had been sent down to the territory without a word, live in the capital again.
"Why are you asking me that?"
"Because they threatened us and forced us to stay in the territory."
Mother whispered in reply to my baffled question.
So it was the Croft family after all?
Since that incident, our family had suddenly gone down to the territory. Although they hadn't told me directly, I had guessed, and Mother just confirmed it.
"I didn't know. I wondered why you suddenly went to the territory."
"So please, talk to the Duke."
"But you're in the capital right now? In front of me."
Mother, exasperated, said,
"Living in the capital is banned. Do you know how hard it is to travel back and forth?"
She had come to the capital for the day to persuade me.
Anyway, there's no way I'm going to agree.
"I don't have the authority. I didn't ask to send you to the territory."
"That makes it easier. Just ask him to let us live in the capital without bothering you. It's suffocating living in the territory."
Anyone would think she attended parties every day.
She didn't live a glamorous life in the capital.
And the magic wand was sold in secret, leading to this. Seeing Mother come to me to ask this, I felt increasingly annoyed.
"Stay there if there's a reason you can't come here. My friend's parents live peacefully in the territory by choice, why can't you?"
Elsner County isn't some underdeveloped place.
Compared to Lewis's hometown, it's much more advanced.
But Mother seemed to have a lot of complaints about life in the territory.
"It's not comfortable. Do you know how much of our wealth has been depleted to support you? I even had to sell most of my dresses."
Mother pointed to her own dress.
"I wear this dress so often, you wouldn't believe it. We are nobility, after all."
Ah, something has changed.
The Elsner County isn't so poor they can't afford lavish shopping sprees like Bella, but they're not broke either.
Mother's attire was indeed simpler compared to before.
"I regret how we treated you. So please, help us."
Mother pleaded with me, almost desperate.
"I'm not asking for money, just to live where we used to. Is that so hard?"
...It still feels completely insincere.
Apologies starting with
'I'm sorry' and ending with blame—I wasn't willing to listen any longer.
"Then talk to the Duke yourself. Telling me won't change anything."
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