Let’s Live Together - ✿ dusk blossoms ✿

-65-

“You can lean on others a little. No one will blame you for it. Even if you deny it, eight years old is still a very young age.”

I thought he would immediately deny it, but instead, Jude just stared quietly at his wrist, which was weakly grasped. I murmured in surprise.

“For once, you’re not saying no.”

“Even if I don’t, it’s still a hassle.”

Any momentary admiration I felt for him melted away like snow.

With that familiar expression, he spoke in a way that felt oddly reminiscent of Roan. Although both were not very talkative, their ways of speaking were worlds apart. Roan was polite, even to his subordinates, whereas this kid… I’d be surprised if he didn’t speak informally to the Emperor. He had already spoken rudely to Jafflin, who was royalty. As for me, I didn’t even expect any respect.

“…….”

I fell silent, contemplating how to guide this kid. Jude glanced at me.

“Why are you staring?”

“What?”

“Sigh….”

Jude let out a sigh that seemed too old for his years.

“My mother’s name was Lily. She passed away when I was six. I don’t even know who my father is. It’s as if I don’t have parents. The woman who gave birth to me didn’t take care of me as her child. She’d take out her anger on me and hit me. When I was younger, I thought that’s what being a child meant—being beaten. I thought all parents were like that.”

“…Are you answering the question I asked earlier?”

I had thought he ignored my question about what he went through, but it seemed he remembered. I looked at Jude with eyes filled with wonder, like I was watching a child take their first steps. Jude, uncomfortable under my bright gaze, continued speaking as if ignoring me.

“But I think I know what a normal mom should feel like. There was a woman named Emma who took care of me there. She taught me how to read and treated my wounds when I got hurt. The reason I’m still relatively healthy despite all the beatings is because of Emma’s knowledge. She’s dead now, though.”

I stopped breathing for a moment at Jude’s last words. He spoke about death so nonchalantly, yet he exuded an aura of loneliness and desolation.

“She was beaten to death by a man she was involved with at work. After that, I got hurt more often while working as Bruno’s servant. Emma used to protect me.”

“…….”

Sniff. My eyes welled up as I listened to Jude. He frowned and asked with an unclear emotion.

“Why are you crying?”

“Because your story is sad.”

“There’s nothing to be sad about. Stories like mine are common here.”

Jude’s attempts to cut off my emotions with his annoying remarks only made my tears disappear.

“It’s sad, no matter how common it is. And you look sad too.”

“…I look sad?”

His boyish face took on a strange expression.

“Yes, it shows on your face.”

Jude’s face turned slightly embarrassed. Now I understood why Jafflin teased him so much. I began to see the appeal.

“Anyway, thank you for answering my question. Now it’s my turn to answer yours, right?”

“What?”

Jude asked curiously.

“Why we brought you with us.”

“…Oh.”

Jude seemed a bit tense, thinking about something. I felt a mischievous urge to tease him.

“We brought you here to eat you.”

“…What?”

Jude looked at me with eyes devoid of any childishness, clearly thinking I was being ridiculous.

“What nonsense.”

Jude said coldly. He was indeed a child who wasn’t easy to raise.

“This time I’ll tell you the truth, so listen carefully.”

But Jude seemed uninterested, as if he had already lost all expectation. I felt like the boy who cried wolf.

“This time it’s real, so believe me.”

“Okay.”

He nodded, indicating he’d humor me.

“You said earlier that you don’t know where your father is from.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s hard to believe, but… you are probably my husband’s brother. No, you are his brother. I’m sure of it. You really resemble him.”

“What?”

Jude’s voice rose in disbelief. He seemed more shocked than when I joked about eating him.

“You’re saying I’m that man’s brother?”

Huh…? I was just as confused and asked him,

“That man…? Do you know who my husband is?”

Jude looked puzzled and asked again,

“The man who’s been with us this whole time isn’t your husband?”

“You mean Jafflin?”

I blurted out Jafflin’s name in my confusion, momentarily forgetting about the crime of insulting royalty. Jude nonchalantly confirmed.

“Yes, that seems to be the name.”

“No, it’s not!”

I waved my hands frantically in denial.

“Didn’t you hear me call him Master earlier?”

“He called you ‘My Lady’, though. I did hear the word ‘Master’… So, he’s not?”

“No, he’s not! I have a husband. When he said ‘My Lady,’ he didn’t mean it literally.”

I guessed that Roan would have been quite upset if he had heard this misunderstanding. It seemed like the relationship between Jafflin and him was both good and bad at the same time.

“Anyway, so you are my husband’s brother. Your father… my husband’s father… had you with someone outside his marriage.”

Jude’s face darkened at the mention of ‘outside,’ so I quickly tried to clarify.

“In short, what I mean is that you are part of my family too.”

“Family…?”

Jude looked confused. He blinked his eyelashes and asked,

“Where is your husband now?”

“He’s… at war.”

“At war?”

This seemed to genuinely surprise Jude.

“Is he fighting against the barbarians?”

“Yes. You know about it?”

“…I overheard people talking about it.”

Jude fell silent with a confused expression. He clearly hadn’t expected this to be the reason for me bringing him along. I carefully voiced my suggestion.

“It might be sudden, but… come with me.”

Jude, his expression now hardened, asked,

“Is your husband a noble too? Does he know about me?”

“He doesn’t know yet, but…”

“Then he won’t accept me. Which noble would take in someone like me? I’m not even a legitimate child, just a bastard.”

His tone was dripping with cynicism.

But I felt differently. I didn’t agree with Jude’s opinion this time.

“He won’t hate you. He won’t try to abandon you.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Jude snapped back, like a defiant cat.

“Because… in a way, he’s in the same situation as you. He wasn’t born to the legitimate wife either.”

“…….”