Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 226

☆ Chapter 226 ☆

“Welcome, Duchess Paeraton,” Shuela greeted me as if she owned the place.

But I couldn’t shake the feeling…

Zeon’s gaze toward Shuela was—.

‘He’s looking at me.’

It should have been a relief that Zeon was looking at someone other than me with such… fondness. But.

That murderous gaze from earlier stirred an uneasy feeling deep in my heart.

“Zeon.”

Even when I called his name, Zeon didn’t even glance my way. He just kept staring at Shuela, his eyes unwavering.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to move toward him.

I’m scared.

What if I call him again, and Zeon looks at me with those same eyes? Like a complete stranger, someone I don’t even recognize, not family—.

‘No.’

I pushed down the fear. It’s absurd to be afraid of Zeon, of all people.

‘He’s my brother.’

I pictured Zeon’s smile, that small but warm smile that would faintly spread across his usually expressionless face.

Courage began to bubble up inside me. I took another step and reached out to Zeon.

“Zeon?”

Thwack!

The moment my fingertips lightly brushed Zeon’s arm, he pushed me away with such force that it hurt.

I stared at him, stunned.

Zeon was glaring at me, a displeased look as if I were trespassing on his territory without permission.

His red eyes warned me not to approach any further. It felt like he would bite my neck if I dared to get closer.

“Oh, Zeon. No, you mustn’t push the Duchess so hard! You’ll hurt her.” Shuela wrapped her arm around Zeon’s shoulder and pulled him closer to her.

Zeon turned his head to look at Shuela.

The cold, sharp gaze vanished, replaced by a docile expression as if it had never been there.

“……”

My stomach felt like I’d swallowed ice.

Shuela smiled brightly and asked Zeon, “You’ll grant my wish, right?”

Nod, nod.

Zeon nodded obediently and buried his face in Shuela’s shoulder.

“Oh, Zeon, you’re so sweet.” Shuela hugged Zeon’s back and laughed. Then, she looked at me, a triumphant gaze that seemed to look down on me.

But I didn’t care about her smug look. Shuela smiled even wider and asked, “Are you okay, Duchess?”

I’m not okay at all.

The back of my hand where he hit me was red and swollen, my skin stinging, and my wrist throbbing.

‘But more than that…….’

I looked at Zeon. He was still burying his face in Shuela’s shoulder, not giving me a single glance.

Throb.

‘……My heart hurts more.’

“Here.”

“Huh?”

“It’s split at the end.”

“Hair? It must be a little damaged.”

“No, here.”

“……?”

“Your eyelash.”

“……The end of my eyelash is split? You can see that?”

“You mustn’t be in pain.”

Even though it was just one eyelash that was a little damaged, Zeon became gloomy as if I had a terminal illness. His firm hands whispered several times that I mustn’t be in pain and held me tight.

“Why do you keep holding me? I can walk by myself.”

“If you fall, it will hurt.”

“I won’t fall.”

“You mustn’t get tired from walking.”

“I won’t get tired from walking a little.”

“You mustn’t be in pain.”

“Sigh, okay. Do as you please.”

“Okay.”

The face that nodded and smiled faintly.

“Are you comfortable?”

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“Aren’t you tired, Zeon?”

“I like it.”

“…….”

Honestly, I wanted to tell him to put me down now, but when I saw Zeon smiling, I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

Old memories and new memories unfolded vividly and clearly in my head.

Zeon couldn’t even stand the thought of one of my eyelashes getting damaged.

But now—.

Throb, throb.

The pain in my wrist worsened as time passed.

But what hurt more was the pain in my deeply wounded heart.

I couldn’t believe that Zeon, of all people, would hurt me like this.

It felt like just a moment ago, he would have looked at me with more hurt eyes and checked on me.

“Zeon……”

A faint voice, barely audible, escaped my lips.

I can’t let my voice sound like this.

If I’m too weak, Zeon will worry.

But Zeon didn’t even look at me.

Shuela’s hand wrapped around Zeon’s back like a spider web.

“Duchess, I’m so sorry. It seems like Zeon doesn’t want to see anyone else right now.”

Why are you apologizing for that?

Shuela smirked.

“Oh, now that I think about it, you said you wouldn’t oppose our marriage if Zeon wanted it, right?”

“…….”

“Well, we don’t really need your permission for our marriage.” Shuela muttered, making sure I heard every word, then looked at me intently and smiled haughtily.

“Could you please leave now?”

I opened my lips to say I didn’t want to, but no words came out.

I was afraid that Zeon would look at me like that again.

I was afraid that he would really hate me.

Unable to say anything, I left Zeon’s room. Still, I couldn’t help but look back, my feelings lingering, until the door was completely closed.

‘Please…….’

Look at me.

You don’t have to say anything, just look at me like you always do.

So I can grumble that it was a really creepy prank.

As if reading my mind, Zeon raised his head.

Thump, my heart pounded with anticipation.

But.

His gaze wasn’t directed at me.

Zeon looked at Shuela and smiled.

It was a smile he only ever showed me.

Thud.

With that image as the last thing I saw, the door closed completely with a heavy sound.

I stared blankly at the closed door.

I didn’t even need to worry about him hating me, because I was already completely excluded from Zeon’s world.

* * *

One night passed.

I couldn’t sleep.

Nike babbled and complained, his voice full of worry, but I didn’t have the energy to soothe him. I stayed up all night with my eyes open, and as soon as dawn broke, I ran to Zeon.

As if returning to the old days, Zeon was sleeping on the sofa, not the bed. But unlike before, when he wouldn’t wake up even if I poked his cheeks, Zeon opened his eyes wide as soon as I entered the room and glared at me, as if looking at a bug that dared to sneak into his territory.

I should have said something, but that gaze pierced my heart like a thorn, and I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

‘I wish it was like when I first saw Dad.’

It was much easier when I was so scared of Dad’s force that I mistakenly thought my life might be in danger. At least back then, my heart wasn’t so broken and upset.

‘What the heck is going on?’

What happened?

“Young Lady!”

Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm.

Surprised, I looked and saw Anna looking at me with an unusually urgent face.

Did Anna shout?

“Why?”

At my question, Anna looked at me with a face that looked like she was about to cry, but then she composed herself and smiled. Anna gently took my hand.

Only then did I realize that my hand was clenched tightly.

“Here, this is a fork, Young Lady.”

“Ah.”

Anna took the fountain pen from my hand and gave me a fork. I almost scratched the inside of my mouth with the sharp fountain pen nib.

“Young Lady, shall I bring you something else? How about having your favorite milk pudding?” Laura, Tilda, and Nancy were fidgeting behind Anna, asking with concern.

“No, it’s okay. I’ll stop eating.” The food on the plate was still untouched, but I got up from my seat. I could feel my sisters worrying, but I didn’t have the余裕 [yoyuu – leeway, capacity] to look after them.

I went into the bedroom and lay down.

‘I think I can understand a little bit the feelings of those book-possessed older sisters who pushed away the male lead, saying that he would fall in love with the original female lead when she appeared…….’

At that time, I changed the original work and got angry, saying, “What kind of sweet potato is this?” [Sweet potato is used to describe frustrating situations] Those older sisters knew how big the shock would be if the male lead turned around in an instant when the original female lead appeared, even though they loved him and gave him their whole heart.

Even if he fell in love with another woman later, I loved him with all my heart. I don’t regret starting even knowing that I could get hurt.

‘It hurts too much to say that so coolly.’

Zeon and I are family, so I thought we would still be on good terms even if Zeon had someone he liked. I had never imagined that Zeon would look at me with those eyes.

I thought that Zeon would always be my brother, and I would always be Zeon’s youngest sister.

‘But…….’

“Mamaa……” Nike whined and licked my face.

Only then did I realize that I was crying.

“Don’t cry……”

“Mommy’s not crying.”

“That’s a lie.”

I hugged Nike tightly. Warm warmth and soft fur, a fluffy body. It was something that always warmed my heart, but strangely, my chilled stomach didn’t warm up at all.

Nike whimpered and licked my face, then whispered, “Nike will screw them over一.”

“Huh?”

“No, Nike will stroke you. If Nike strokes you, Mama’s heart will be at ease.” Nike laid down on his back and acted cute.

I heard that dogs are great, but mythical beasts are truly great.

I scratched the belly of this pure and wonderful mythical beast and got up from the bed. This is not the time to be like this.

‘Being hurt and shedding tears like a tragic heroine doesn’t suit the temperament of a romance fantasy reader!’

Isn’t a romance fantasy reader someone who grabs the tragic heroine by the scruff of the neck and demands cider? [Cider is used to describe satisfying revenge]

‘It was so shocking and unexpected that I temporarily lost my identity as a romance fantasy reader.’

I almost became the heroine.

“No matter how I think about it, it’s strange.”

Giving her the benefit of the doubt, let’s say Zeon suddenly fell in love with Shuela, who he had no interest in.

‘But he sees me as a complete stranger?’

This was really impossible.

It’s possible that he has a woman he likes, so his interest in me has waned a bit, and he doesn’t care as much as before. That’s normal anyway.

‘But Zeon will never hate me.’

I know that better than anyone else, as Zeon’s sister.

‘Shuela must have used some trick.’

That triumphant smile she gave me. At that time, Shuela was sure that Zeon would push me away and was sneering.

“How dare you touch my family?”

I jumped up from the bed.

“Mama?”

I picked up Nike, who was startled by my sudden burst of energy.

“We have to screw them over.”

“Hehe.”

I was startled by Nike’s giggling.

“Our Nike, please pretend you didn’t hear what Mommy just said.”

“Woong! Nike listens to Mama well!”

“……You didn’t laugh just now because of what Mommy said, did you?” It was a laugh that seemed to agree fiercely.

“Nike laughed because Mama cheered up. Mama is excited.”

“Ogu, is that so!”

I rubbed my cheek against Nike’s face.

‘I’m such a fool. What kind of suspicion did I have when I saw such a pure and innocent child!’

I held Nike in my arms and kicked open the bedroom door with dignity.

The maid sisters, who were gathered together and talking, looked at me in surprise.

“Bring an ice towel. I’m going to get rid of the swelling in my eyes.”

“Yes.”

“And I’m going to dress up. Today my concept is going to get a refund.”

“Yes?”

“A dress up with the concept of going to get a refund…….”

“Why do I feel like I know what you’re talking about even though it’s the first time I’ve heard it?”

“Contact the Prussian family. I will visit—no. Why am I going in person? She has to come.”

“Of course. How could the Young Lady take her precious steps to meet a mere Prussian Young Lady.”

“She has to come when the Young Lady tells her to come, and go when she tells her to go.”

I nodded and sat down on the chair with my legs crossed.

“I’ve been too polite all this time. I was trying to show that there is also a kind Paeraton.” Nancy started brushing my hair.

“I have to show why Paeraton is so infamous.”

“Of course. There’s no one more Paeraton-like than the Young Lady.”

……That’s not an insult, is it?

I felt a little uneasy, but I crossed my arms.

“When the Prussian Young Lady comes, have her wait in the lobby.”

“Yes, Young Lady.” Orca nodded.

“Power is meant to be used.”

Our dad said that, no one else. He said he had power for my convenience.