Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 180

“What did you say…?”

The statement was incomprehensible.

“There was a sudden, powerful clash of forces within the estate. I sent the Black Wind to investigate what was happening….”

My father’s words seemed distant, as if echoing from far away.

I tried to grasp the scattering words, feeling like I would collapse if I didn’t.

A clash of forces.

I hadn’t felt anything, but Father would have certainly sensed it.

“Lulu.”

Hermes Jek must be involved in that clash of forces.

“Lulu.”

Even though the Black Wind was fast, it took time to confirm the situation and report to Father. I must have been in the bathroom longer than I thought.

And—.

“Lulu!”

I snapped back to reality as hands carefully but firmly gripped my arms.

Father’s face was right in front of me.

‘Why didn’t I see him when he was so close?’

A very careful and affectionate gaze, as if looking at something fragile about to break, filled my vision.

As I met Father’s eyes, he let out a great sigh and pulled me into a tight embrace.

“Lock the doors and don’t go anywhere.”

“……”

“Stay by my side, with us.”

“……”

“Your father is here.”

The firm arms held my back and waist tightly, the large hand gripping my shoulder.

Father’s embrace.

Father’s scent.

My nose tingled, and my eyes felt hot.

My heart ached as if it were being pecked at.

“Ah, Lady Izel is….”

A wretched voice escaped my lips.

“Lady Izel isn’t, isn’t dead….”

No.

I shouldn’t say things like that.

Father only tells me what is certain.

I have to face reality.

I shouldn’t trouble Father—.

“Yes.”

A gentle voice and a large hand pressed down on my head.

“Lulu, you’re right.”

I cautiously raised my head.

Father was smiling at me.

A smile that looked like he was about to cry.

My lips parted weakly.

Father.

“When you can let her go, let’s send her off.”

Father did that countless times when Mother passed away.

I hugged Father tightly.

“You don’t need to face reality right away, and you don’t need to accept it completely. You can deny it as much as you want, and you can regret it as much as you want.”

I couldn’t say anything.

I just nodded, saying, “Yes, yes.”

Father needed that time.

But he couldn’t have it.

Even in the most painful moments, he had to force himself to compose himself.

‘So, he’s doing this for me….’

People call my father a cold-blooded man with no tears, but they only say that because they don’t know.

My chest was completely soaked, but Father didn’t stop stroking my hair.

‘Lady Izel….’

‘Izel….’

‘Ophelia Izel.’

I could do nothing but repeat her name.

I remembered when we watched the snowflakes falling together at the villa near the estate.

How brightly her smile shone as she buried herself in the fluffy snowfield and looked at me.

The face that flashed before my eyes soon became the last image I saw.

“Even the Princess Consort can’t say anything about this. I wasn’t pushed into it, I didn’t do it because I had no choice. It was my will, I thought about it, and I decided on my own.”

Those confident eyes.

“Don’t worry. I don’t like things like that either. I didn’t particularly want to die before, but now I want to live longer than ever.”

“It’s a promise.”

The pinky finger we linked.

‘You promised….’

I felt resentful.

If I resent you like this, will you come back and ask why I’m resenting you?

‘…Ophelia, Sister.’

“Hwaaa! Why did you die like a fool! Why! Why!”

It wasn’t something I should be angry about, but ugly words kept spilling out.

Endlessly, endlessly.

I don’t know how much I cried.

It felt like my eyeballs were melting away, and I made a wheezing sound when I breathed.

My whole body was hot.

As I lifted my head, something stretched from Father’s chest to my face.

‘Ah, snot.’

Father nonchalantly wiped my face with his bare hand.

Sniffle.

As I quietly received his touch, someone tapped my head.

“It’s not just Father who’s here.”

I was surprised and looked at Ixion.

It was the first time Ixion had called Father, Father.

‘He always called him Your Excellency.’

“We’re here too. Next to my sister.”

“……Yes.”

I nodded at Ares’s words, and then Zeon started stroking my head silently.

Grandfather, who was watching the scene, slowly opened his mouth.

“Luatisha.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

“I thought too much. …I hope you don’t do that.”

“…….”

Grandfather’s wrinkled hand grabbed my hand.

“Let’s drink some water and take a warm bath. You need to eat too.”

…Am I allowed to?

That thought suddenly crossed my mind.

But looking at the eyes of my family looking at me, I had no choice but to nod.

* * *

The black dress that covered my whole body felt awkward.

I pulled down the veil attached to the hat.

I didn’t want anyone to see my expression.

“Thank you, Duke. Her Excellency will be honored that you saw her daughter’s last moments.”

Count Izel recited conventional words with a gaunt face.

People glanced at the attendance of the Paeraton ducal family, who did not have a deep friendship with the Izel comital family.

For the death of a mere young lady, not the death of the head of the family, the whole family came.

But soon, everyone understood and turned their heads.

That was because the Empress had expressed strong regret over the sudden death of her close lady-in-waiting and mentioned it extensively.

Thanks to that, the funeral hall was overflowing with people.

Holding flowers, I approached the coffin where Lady Izel was lying.

“……Lady Izel.”

Lady Izel’s face was somewhat pale, but it was as beautiful as ever.

I quietly reached out and stroked her cold, stiff cheek.

“…….”

I had so much to say, but nothing came out.

I was startled and stood up when a tear fell on Lady Izel’s cheek.

I pulled the veil that covered my eyes down once again and turned around.

“I didn’t know the Princess Consort would mourn my daughter’s death so deeply.”

At Countess Izel’s words, I stood still.

“……How could I not mourn?”

“Thank you.”

Countess Izel grabbed my hand.

“In fact, among the mourners, there are many who came for other reasons than to mourn my daughter’s death.”

“…….”

“I thought the Paeraton ducal family came for a similar purpose. My daughter and my husband were not very close.”

“I see.”

“But looking at the Princess Consort’s face, you seem to be the most sincerely saddened by my daughter’s death in this place. …Even more than Her Majesty the Empress.”

“…….”

I lowered my head silently.

‘No.’

I don’t deserve to hear these words.

Maybe Lady Izel isn’t dead.

She might be alive, enjoying the summer sunshine with her family.

‘If I hadn’t dragged her in.’

No, if I had just asked for a few of the secret guards attached to me to be assigned to Lady Izel.

A heavy stone pressing down on my breath remained stuck in my chest.

Grandfather said that you thought too much, and he hoped I wouldn’t do that.

‘How can I not?’

Thoughts continued to chase each other.

I couldn’t sleep at night at all.

Maybe.

‘Lady Izel might be angry at my current appearance.’

—Didn’t I tell you? Even the Princess Consort can’t say anything about this.

—Remember clearly. I wasn’t pushed into it, I didn’t do it because I had no choice. It was my will.

—No matter how much the Princess Consort is, you can’t belittle my will as if the Princess Consort forced me.

Haha.

A dry laugh came out when that voice sounded like a hallucination.

But…….

But.

“……I’m sorry, Countess Izel.”

“Princess Consort?”

“I’m really sorry.”

I bowed deeply.

Countess Izel looked at me, at a loss and embarrassed.

I bowed once again and left the funeral hall as it was.

The summer sunshine was so bright that it hurt my eyes.

Even through the black lace fluttering before my eyes, that brilliant light did not fade.

* * *

“Lulu, try eating this. Father made it.”

“Let’s see. There’s hot spring water coming out of this land. Shall I buy it for you, Grandfather?”

“Here, these are flowers that go well with my sister.”

“Cotton ball, shall I give you a piggyback ride?”

“Zeon, what are you doing?”

Luatisha asked Zeon, who tapped next to her face.

“Wall slam… no, sofa slam.” [A playful gesture of affection.]

“…….”

Luatisha slipped out of Zeon’s arms with a sullen face.

“Wow, did Father make this for me?”

Looking at the child eating pudding with a bright smile, the Paeraton men and Marquis Tarenka had complicated expressions.

Laughing and chatting, acting like nothing was wrong.

‘Her insides are rotting.’

How could they not know?

She was their only precious youngest child.

They could immediately recognize the fake smile and the exaggeratedly bright voice.

She must be pushing herself like that because she didn’t want to worry her family.

‘…I think it would be better if she just cried and made a fuss.’

Even if they tried to tell her that she didn’t have to pretend to be okay, they hesitated to do so to the child who was trying so hard.

If they forcibly held onto Luatisha, what if she disappeared?

“…….”

“Shall we go outside? The weather is nice.”

“Yes!”

Luatisha smiled brightly.

But the more she did, the darker the family’s expressions became.

* * *

‘What is going on.’

I sighed as I went into the shade of a tree.

It was nice to come out for a picnic with my family.

Then Grandfather found a clover and said,

“Come to think of it, a four-leaf clover is said to bring good luck.”

—That was the beginning of the problem.

“Where did you hear that?”

“Will some weed determine good luck?”

My brothers said as if they were dumbfounded, so I, who is a K-Confucian girl [referring to someone who adheres to Confucian values and principles, particularly filial piety and respect for elders, originating from Korean culture] and always practices respecting elders, chimed in.

“Grandfather is right. A four-leaf clover is a symbol of good luck. It brings good luck.”

And the competition to find a four-leaf clover began.

I was stunned to see the surging magic power in the distance.

‘No, why are you using magic power to find a four-leaf clover? Father.’

Father is also secretly competitive.

I was also so engrossed in finding a four-leaf clover that my thoughts seemed to disappear.

‘…No.’

My thoughts must not disappear.

‘I must not forget even for a moment.’

So, I stopped looking for a four-leaf clover and stood quietly under the tree.

‘Don’t forget. Why Lady Izel died.’

When Hermes Jek wakes up, I will know for sure what happened that day.

But I was also responsible for that death.

—I told you, no! If you keep doing that, I’m really going to get angry!

—I told you. Don’t belittle my choices and will as if the Princess Consort forced me!

‘Yes, right. But this isn’t really the young lady’s voice.’

It’s just my hallucination.

I said that at the time, but maybe, dying alone in that dirt floor—.

‘She might have regretted the things she did with me.’

So, I can’t forget Lady Izel even for a moment, saying I’m going to find good luck.

“…….”

I looked at my family and turned around.

I couldn’t show my family such a gloomy face.

I walked along the forest path for a while when I heard a voice calling me.

“Princess Consort Paeraton?”

“……Prince Esteban?”

Prince Esteban was looking at me with surprised eyes.

“I see you in a place like this.”

“Yes.”

“Were you taking a walk? Alone?”

“Yes.”

“You really came alone?”

“I came with my family, but I’m walking alone for a while.”

“……Princess Consort, the atmosphere seems different from before.”

At those words, I raised my head and looked at Prince Esteban.