Chapter 160
“I am so grateful. It is so wonderful for Lady Meia becoming the Grand Duchess…”
Venable placed the chocolate cookies from the trolley onto the table.
“These chocolate cookies were specially made by the patissier for Lady Violet. The chocolate scent has been minimized, and they were crafted to melt gently on the tongue as soon as they enter the mouth, making them easy to digest. They are said to be an excellent snack for morning sickness.”
“Please convey my gratitude to the patissier for being so considerate.”
“He will be delighted by your compliment.”
Violet placed one of the chocolate cookies into her mouth.
“The scent isn’t overwhelming, just as described, and it melts in the mouth immediately… while still retaining the savory crunch of a cookie. It’s delicious!”
“I’m glad to hear that. I will continue to serve you with utmost sincerity during your stay at the Grand Duke’s estate.”
However, Violet’s expression was not cheerful.
“The Grand Duke and our daughter might be in danger in the Carpen Empire… Yet here I am, enjoying cookies and marveling at their taste… sob…”
“Violet.”
“I’m crying. I feel so guilty toward Meia… I feel so sorry as a mother for not being able to protect her… sob.”
As tears welled up in Violet’s eyes, David gently embraced her.
“Violet… all we can do now is wait. Even if it’s hard, exhausting, and worrisome, we must wait. And remember, you’re pregnant.”
“Being pregnant doesn’t mean I can stop worrying about Meia. I’m her mother.”
“And I’m her father… As parents, we made the best decisions we could, and even if we regret them, we have to wait. Right now, your stability is crucial.”
“I understand. I know, but I can’t help how I feel.”
Even as she tried to calm herself for the sake of the baby in her womb, her anxiety and unease about Meia only grew.
She wanted to feel reassured with Theodore by Meia’s side, but she couldn’t. Theodore had knowingly put himself in Demian’s crosshairs, sacrificing himself to protect Meia.
She felt both immensely grateful and deeply sorry.
“As parents, we are willing to…”
They might abandon their conscience and act selfishly, but David suddenly recalled the words of Head Maid Hannah.
<The master has closed his heart. He neither smiles, cries, nor shows anger. But after meeting Lady Meia, he has changed. He smiles, cries, and even becomes blinded by jealousy and gets angry. For the first time in ten years, the Grand Duke’s estate feels like a home where people live.>
Out of his genuine love, he was even willing to risk his life to protect Meia.
Thus, days passed. And the awaited news arrived.
“Duke Rockbellion.”
“You seem to be doing well. Are you comfortable?”
“Yes.”
“Prince Demian has disappeared.”
“What do you mean?”
“You could say he’s dead. Prince Demian has vanished from this world.”
It was the news they had been waiting for.
With Demian gone, they could return to Carpen right away.
“Yesterday, Prince Demian attempted to abduct Lady Meia, but Theodore resolved the situation. Many knights have also reported witnessing dark mages.”
“There are now witnesses.”
“Therefore, there’s no need to fabricate evidence. We’ll simply spread rumors.”
Prince Demian had disappeared. However, this did not mean everything was over.
“It can be said that Prince Demian was behind the connection between the Holy Kingdom and the dark mages. He funded their activities and provided slaves for their illegal dealings to become the Crown Prince. Since he killed Emperor Argen, people will believe that his actions were aimed at securing the throne.”
“Prince Demian must have been in a hurry. He wasn’t usually this impulsive.”
“It seems the Emperor expedited the coming-of-age ceremony to send the Grand Duke back to Sirius earlier. Fearing that Lady Meia, after the ceremony, might return immediately to Florence, Prince Demian acted rashly.”
Duke Rockbellion continued with a charming smile.
“The dark mages might have provoked him, or there could be other reasons, but regardless, he has disappeared. This means the risks in the Carpen Empire have been eliminated. And if we frame the story as Prince Demian trying to kill the Crown Prince after murdering the Emperor, only to be thwarted by the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Florence, people will celebrate them as heroes.”
It was certain that the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess would be praised as the greatest couple in history.
“Now that the danger is gone, you can return to the Carpen Empire.”
However, Violet’s severe morning sickness prevented them from returning immediately.
“David, please go ahead and check on Meia first, then come back.”
In the early stages of pregnancy, teleportation was not an option, and traveling by ship would take too long and strain her body.
“Then I’ll go quickly. Violet, remember—stay calm and stable.”
“I understand. But Meia will be so frightened, right?”
“She’ll be surprised but also happy.”
“She might get angry for being deceived.”
“Hmm… Meia being angry is scary…”
Sorting through his thoughts, David prepared to depart for the Carpen Empire.
Even if Meia got angry, he resolved to accept it humbly. If she was happy, he would rejoice with her; if she cried, he would cry with her and sincerely apologize.
“Alright!”
When he arrived at the entrance of the Ducal estate, the knights and servants guarding the gate were visibly shocked.
Even Luman, upon hearing that David was alive, turned pale and ran to the entrance without even properly putting on his shoes.
“Is it so shocking that I’m alive? You even held my funeral? Haha. Luman, I didn’t think you were so eager to become the Duke. Poor Meia must have been heartbroken.”
“Well, haha…”
“We’ll discuss that later… Luman.”
“Yes.”
“If there are any documents I shouldn’t see, you’d better hide them before I return.”
Luman nodded slightly without saying a word.
“Deim.”
“Yes, My Lord!”
Deim, who had shed a few tears of joy upon seeing David alive, wiped his eyes with a handkerchief and responded.
“Do I look like the real David to you?”
“Of course. I’ve served you for 20 years. How could I not recognize you? No matter how well someone disguises themselves, I would know. Welcome back safely, My Lord.”
“That’s my Deim. Normally, people would verify if I’m the real one, but everyone just accepts it… This isn’t like the servants of House Hatzbellua. Make sure to educate them.”
“There are many new servants. I’ll train them.”
“By the way, where’s Meia?”
At David’s question about Meia, Deim hesitated like a fish gasping for air.
She was currently alone in a room with Theodore. Everyone in the estate knew that Theodore had been nursing Meia after she fainted from the previous day’s ordeal.
“Lady Meia is resting. Perhaps you should meet her later…”
“She’s resting in her room, right?”
“…Yes.”
David narrowed his eyes and stared at the hesitant Deim.
“I’ll go to Meia’s room.”
“Pardon?!”
“Deim, why are you so startled? Is there a reason I shouldn’t go to Meia’s room?”
“There is, My Lord!”
“And what is that?”
Unable to answer, Deim hesitated until David confidently headed toward Meia’s room. He knocked on the door, then opened it and loudly announced.
“Meia! Your father is back—huh? Ha. Ha. Ha. Grand Duke, what exactly are you doing on top of my daughter? Ha. Ha. Ha.”
Theodore froze as their eyes met. As David crossed his arms and glared, Theodore quickly composed himself, helped the lying Meia sit up, and tidied his clothes and hair.
David had forgotten to teach Meia that all men, except her father, were wolves.
***
It seemed like Meia was about to spend some peaceful time with Theodore, but an entirely unexpected figure appeared.
At first glance, she thought, “Is it a ghost? Why on earth can I see this?” Suddenly, a passage from a book she had read came to mind.
[Ghosts have no feet.]
However, the unexpected figure had visible feet. So, it wasn’t a ghost.
Meia’s mind was in turmoil until Theodore finished tidying their clothes and hair.
“…Father?”
He smiled at her.
Was this an illusion born out of my longing?
She bit her trembling lips tightly, trying to calm her heart.
Meia put on a cold expression. Then, she raised her left hand and looked at the ring embedded with a magic stone, which absorbed the aura of black magic—a gift from Theodore. It didn’t gleam with a purple light.
If so, the person standing before me was…?
‘Not a dark mage or someone contracted with one…’
But he could still be an assassin. Professional assassins, to eliminate their targets, often disguise themselves as someone familiar to the target, replicating their height, body shape, voice, and even the thickness of their hair.
Right now, Grand Duke Theodore of Florence was present here. If this person was an assassin disguised to kill either her or Theodore, she needed to confirm it.
“Mei, this father of yours is alive.”
Could the man claiming to be my father truly be Father David? If so…
“What did you do to marry Mother? And what illness did Grandfather suffer as a result?”
David raised one eyebrow and curled his lips into a wide smile. He had expected Meia to leap joyfully into his arms upon realizing her father was alive. Instead, she was verifying whether he was truly her biological father…!
“Staying out overnight and stress-induced illness.”
‘She’s testing me with family secrets only we know… As expected of my daughter, how thrilling.’
“Excellent, Mei. Yes, you should always question and verify. You did well to remain calm. If you had burst into tears and hugged me the moment you saw me alive, I would have scolded you.”
David smiled as he gazed at Meia, who resembled him so uncannily.
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bluemoon238
Yeah, I would be happy, then become extremely pissed. Not only did they let me think they were dead and forced to fend on her own but coming back after she’s about to leave the house with a new sibling??? Yeah, I would want to disown them out of spite. The father even now treating her like his heir rather than his daughter.