# 66
---
'It definitely seemed like he had a crush on Leia….'
Lucio, like him, had an indifferent personality, but he had a strong sense of responsibility towards his family and clan.
Also, since he had never gone against his father's decisions until now, I thought he would gladly accept Leia as a family member this time as well.
‘But I never thought you would go against it like this.’
Since Allen had always admired his idealistic older brother, there was a high probability that he would follow his wishes, so I wasn't too worried about the Duke's expectations for Allen, but the results were quite the opposite.
Perhaps Lucio's kindness was just kindness to the child who cared for Diana.
It was time for him to sigh and say that he must have thought in a hurry.
“Then, what about you, Diana?”
Diana, who was observing the situation, cried and asked.
“That's not true. Even if we don't adopt her, Leia will always be Diana's big sister.”
As the Duchess urgently comforted her, Diana nodded and cried out, although she was crying with a sad look on her face.
“That's right, Leia is a princess, and Dana is a princess!”
* * *
On a large scale.
She closed the door quietly and sat in front of him.
No words came out as if something was blocking my throat.
A tear fell from my eye without me knowing.
My heart, which had been excited just a moment ago at the thought of sending a reply to Bianca, had obviously calmed down.
It was really unintentional for me to hear the conversation between the Duke and his family in front of the Duchess's room.
After Mana Explosion, mana management became much easier than before.
Thanks to this, my physical senses seemed to have come back to life, I was able to hear even small sounds with greater sensitivity, and I was able to move secretly without deliberately killing the presence of others.
So, I quietly headed to the Duchess's room, admiring how well Lucio, who was rarely seen, could use mana.
but … .
〈If you all agree, Leia will become your little sister.〉
If I hadn't heard this, I would have knocked on the door like an idiot and become an uninvited guest in my family's peaceful conversation.
〈I don't like it.〉
〈For the younger sister, Diana is enough!〉
Lucio's and Allen's voices alternately rang in my ears.
An inexplicable feeling swept over me like a wave.
When I saw the Duke and Duchess treating me so well, I thought they considered me a little special.
But I had no idea he thought about adoption.
“It was enough for me not to be abandoned. ... I have never been so greedy.”
Before I knew it, tears started falling.
Sadness washed over me like a flood.
“He shouldn't blame me, but why...”
Even though it didn't happen, I know I should be grateful that they considered adoption.
But I was very upset because I felt like I was being rejected for something I didn't want.
“No, I'm bad.”
If you don't really want it, there is no reason to feel disappointed and sad.
I'm a bad kid.
“I'm such a bad kid that I'm not welcome anywhere.”
Even though I had experienced it once, I thought maybe it would be different this time.
I think there might be a place for me.
I ended up repeating it again like an idiot.
“No matter how good they treat me, I can't become a family with someone.”
Even though I didn't know it, my heart began to tighten.
Why in heaven's name would someone like me be born into this world?
They are merely floating beings, unable to settle anywhere.
At that time, I suddenly felt hot in the area around my neck.
I unconsciously held the necklace in my hand and wiped away the tears with my arm.
Foolishly, past and present, all I have left is this necklace.
Even if it's not really something my parents left me or a symbol of my ability to meet my family.
* * *
A few days later.
“It took longer than I thought, can I leave it like that?”
asked the Duchess, looking at the letter she had handed her.
I said: Yes.
She nodded and smiled as if nothing had happened.
It had been a few days already, so it didn't really matter that I was crying alone like that.
However, I felt a little sorry to see the Duchess's face.
Even though I felt responsible, I was worried that my presence would become a burden over time.
'I can't make them uncomfortable.'
In fact, I sometimes wondered if things would have been different if I had accepted the Duke's offer of patronage in the first place.
But I knew that any relationship that began as unequal, no matter what form it took, would only lead to a repeat of the same things that happened in the past.
Just like in my previous life, I was hungry for Master's approval. Again, I will have high expectations and rely on them without realizing it.
'So I have to be prepared to stand on my own.'
However, I had no intention of leaving without anyone knowing under the pretext of wanting freedom like before.
My idea of living without being in a relationship with anyone has also changed.
'Even if we can't be a real family. …’
A desire arose within me to believe that I could be someone who would care for and protect Diana as I do now.
Of course, I might end up regretting my choice later, but I decided to be willing to endure any difficulties that might arise.
‘First of all, you have to move to a position where no one will ignore you.’
Since she had to continue her relationship with the Duke's family, washing her identity, which was his original plan, became difficult.
It wasn't a bad idea to go into the fields of magic or healing where he already excelled, but the easiest way to avoid suspicion was of course money.
‘Of course, I will be ignored at first, however, if I become a wealthy person who can almost sweep the money on the continent. …’
“What did you write?”
“To do this, I'm really busy right now...Okay?”
While I was strengthening my will for a while, Allen, who was watching from the side, asked me a confusing question.
“What did you write in the letter?”
What should we do with this young gentleman who has become a member of the duke's family and shows interest in the contents of other people's letters? I looked with sad eyes.
Even Diana was quietly fiddling with drawing in this way, which was a strange interest.
“Well, I wrote about the Principality of Pylos, and after researching it, I discovered that it was an incredibly beautiful and wonderful place.”
"Ha! Beautiful and wonderful?"
Allen snorted loudly at my words and frowned.
“Well, how great would it be for a small emirate with nothing special to be great?”
“There's nothing to see there.”
“...Sir, haven’t you ever said that the emirate is a wonderful place?”
“I don't know, I don't remember.”
She was slightly shaken after hearing Allen's words.
But I kept my mouth shut because I didn't want to argue with Allen, who was very upset about where he had gone.
'What's the point of fighting with a child?'
When I saw Allen complaining again, I thought it was funny.
If I were really adopted, I would have called Allen my brother.
Of course, he was actually older than me, but that wasn't the case at all, maybe because I came back to life.
'Jack is still so respectful that he often feels like a big brother, but Allen... …’
“Why do you smile so much?”
“Huh?”
I was surprised as I shook my head and suppressed a laugh.
“Laughter seems so impure, what are you thinking?”
“Oh, I didn't even think about that!”
I jumped up and denied it, but Allen looked at me as if he was very uncomfortable.
Sometimes it has a sharp edge that scares people, but it is not good for the heart.
“Guys, it's time, let's go out.”
At the time, the Duchess, who took the letter she had written separately, said:
Allen, who had been looking at me disapprovingly at these words, jumped up from his seat.
“Diana, let's go see my brother.”
He spoke quietly to Diana, who was in the middle of drawing.
“Hmm, I don't like it.”
Diana, who had been frowning ever since she heard that Lucio was returning to the academy, shook her head stubbornly.
However, when Allen joked that my brother would get upset and cry if I didn't go say goodbye, he looked at me with wide eyes, as if asking me if that was true.
It was hard to imagine Lucio crying, but I nodded because I thought he might be sad.
Then tears began to gather in Diana's eyes, perhaps because she was sad.
“I want to go to my big brother.”
Diana seemed to decide that Allen would be better than me so she could move quickly, so she extended her arms towards Allen.
Allen hugged Diana, his lips trembled as if he was dying because he thought Diana was so cute.
She smiled happily at the sight of the picturesque siblings and followed them with the Duchess.
* * *
When I got out, Lucio was already standing in front of the carriage, ready to go back.
“Lucio, be careful.”
Instead of the Duke who entered the palace early in the morning, the Duchess came out first and received Lucio.
The Duchess, whose eyes were dripping with remorse and sadness, no longer felt any distance from Lucio.
“We will meet again soon when the festival opens, so don't be too disappointed.”
Although Lucio had a frank expression, he spoke calmly, and it was obvious that the two had become very close this time.
Suddenly I felt that Lucio's eyes were on me, but I ignored them and lost myf in thought.
“It's a festival.”
A while ago, I heard from Allen that when the Academy Festival opens in a few days, everyone will go and watch it together except the busy Duke.
Then I remembered that the usually quiet academy was bustling with visitors around this time of year.
‘Booths were set up outside the street in front of the academy, and the street was crowded with merchants and spectators.’
The entire street was so crowded that even I, the ar of the past, felt excited.