Chapter 27

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 27

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"He just looks kind and cute to me."

"My Lucian?"

I asked, eyes wide open. Lucian was cute, sure... but kind? Not really.

"He's affectionate with Amelia and generously shares toys with the orphanage kids. Isn't he full of consideration?"

"Well..."

It just seemed like he wanted to look good in front of Amelia.

"And his love for his aunt is immense."

"My Lucian?"

"Yes."

Claude nodded, a faint smile crinkling the corners of his eyes.

"You might not have seen it, my lady, but I did. Lucian stayed by the fallen Lilfrey lady's side with utmost devotion. It's not just love for his aunt—only a child with a gentle heart could do that. Though I became a sinner for making you collapse."

Claude's ever-present smile faltered, his face turning awkward. From his expression, it looked like Lucian had given him quite the hard time for causing my fall.

"That's not kindness... it's more like obsession, isn't it?"

I was Lucian's person, and Lucian had a tendency to be unusually attached to anything he considered his—people or objects alike.

"Obsession toward people is often called attachment. And forming that attachment isn't an ordinary feat."

Claude's smile faded as his gaze dropped to the floor.

"Children don't doubt their parents' love. That's the bond between parent and child."

Children are loved unconditionally from the moment they're conceived in the womb. That teaches them not to question love.

"But we're not their parents, are we? It's a relationship where unquestioned bonds are hard to form."

"True."

I wasn't Lucian's mother, nor was Claude Amelia's father. No matter how much love we poured out, we were bound to be doubted.

"Yet the Lilfrey lady accomplished that remarkable feat."

"Me?"

I widened my eyes in surprise.

"You saw it earlier. How Lucian cried out in distress."

He'd just said his aunt clearly didn't love him. Yet here Claude was calling our bond tight-knit.

"If he truly doubted your affection, he wouldn't have spoken like that. He'd have accepted it quietly instead."

"What do you mean?"

"Children are sharper than you think. They clearly distinguish between those who like them and those who don't."

I nodded.

You could tell just from Lucian. The way he treated me was different from how he treated the duke.

In the Bellomon Duke's presence, he spoke less and never caused even the slightest trouble. He knew the duke didn't favor him much.

He didn't play pranks on just anyone, either. Lucian only targeted those who would tolerate his mischief. Even Chernin Viscount, whose mustache he'd shaved off, quite doted on him.

As Claude said, if Lucian truly believed I hated him, he would've chosen to distance himself rather than cry out in sorrow.

"Lucian loves his aunt so much that he felt hurt. Sorrow comes from being wounded by someone you firmly believed in."

"Ah..."

A soft exclamation escaped me.

"Do you understand now? Lucian firmly believes in the love you give him."

Only then did I nod.

Lucian had raised his voice because he believed I loved him.

His aunt's love was always directed at him. His aunt was undeniably his person.

So how jealous must he have felt seeing that pure love of his aunt seemingly favor another child?

"Forming such an attachment isn't easy unless you're the parent. Adults must strive endlessly, but children must fully accept it too."

"..."

"It means both you and Lucian are very kind and gentle people."

"...It's a bit embarrassing."

I averted my gaze from Claude's eyes, looking down. It was my first time hearing such praise; I felt too shy to meet his eyes.

"No need to be embarrassed. You could be even more proud, my lady. Raising a child who's not even your own is no easy task."

"Still."

Until now, I'd always doubted if I was raising Lucian right.

People saw him as a troublemaker and criticized his upbringing. Each time, I'd drown in self-recrimination for failing to teach him properly, unable to pull myself out.

Claude was the first—and only—person to praise me like that. He even empathized with the hardships of raising a child who wasn't my own.

But what touched me most was something else.

"You're the first person to speak so kindly of my Lucian, Marquis."

Lucian had always been treated like a rascal. Words like fierce, wild, and violent had drilled into my ears.

Yet here Claude was calling him kind and gentle.

'To me, Lucian was just a villain too.'

Maybe I'd been trapped in my own perspective, or confined to the original story's framework, unable to see him clearly.

I was simply grateful to Claude for seeing Lucian's virtues I hadn't noticed.

"I know it's empty words, but thank you truly."

"It's not empty."

Claude shook his head with a serious expression.

"I'm in the same position as you, raising my niece. I know from experience how hard it is to build such a close bond. And how tough it is to fill a parent's absence."

Claude's gaze drifted to Amelia, who was stacking blocks in the distance. Despite his words of hardship, his eyes on his niece were endlessly warm.

'That's why Amelia grew up so properly—because Claude is this kind of person.'

I felt anew how remarkable Claude was.

It wasn't just for raising Amelia right. Seeing the good in troublemaking Lucian, comforting and cheering me in the same situation—those weren't things an ordinary person could do.

'Good.'

Leaving Claude, whose gaze was stolen by Amelia, I clenched my fist tightly.

'If I give him faith, Lucian won't waver.'

I'd shower Lucian with enough love so that even if Edwin entered the ducal residence, he wouldn't feel anxious.

I repeated the resolve to myself over and over.

"It's hot."

Claude murmured, brushing his left cheek where Lucella's gaze had lingered. His exposed skin was red like a ripe tomato.

Lucella's voice thanking him had been so sweet. Her admiring gaze had been so beautiful. He couldn't bear to meet her eyes.

So he'd deliberately looked away. If he'd met her gaze, his heart might have burst.

Even pretending otherwise, even long after she'd left, his flushed face showed no sign of cooling.

All he could do was step outside into the breeze to cool it down.

"Uncle, what are you doing?"

Amelia, finding Claude's behavior odd, came out.

"Just... staying here."

He couldn't admit he'd come out because his face was burning.

"...That's weird?"

But sharp-eyed Amelia wouldn't miss it.

"...Really weird?"

But sharp-eyed Amelia wouldn't miss it.

"It's because of Lucella sis, right?"

"..."

"Obvious without looking. Your face is red, cooling off in the breeze."

Claude couldn't say a word. Amelia had hit the nail on the head.

Amelia gave her uncle a fond glare and spoke.

"You like her this much. Why don't you marry her?"

"Marriage isn't something you do so easily."

"Not denying you like her?"

"..."

Claude's mouth shut again. But he soon shook his head and continued.

"Anyway, marriage isn't that simple. You'll understand when you're grown. You can't marry on liking someone alone."

Especially as head of a family.

"So. You're just going to do nothing?"

"Of course not."

That didn't mean he'd give up before even starting.