Chapter 101

That was why all the pieces felt unusual earlier than. In spite of everything, she was a 12 months older than her reported age.

“The Excessive Priest seen….a baby who was fairly giant for a one-year-old…so there was a spot together with her actual age.”

“…I used to be stunned whenever you first advised me about it. I fired all of the nannies and servants who taken care of Rere when she was a child. I believed no one would uncover it.”

“You fired all of them…”

Watching him mumble hesitantly, I used to be reminded of the outdated butler that the nanny had advised me in regards to the different day.

“Why did you hearth all of them?”

“As a result of they knew an excessive amount of in regards to the little one.”

“Even the butler?”

“Are you aware in regards to the butler?”

“I knew that he cared about Rere greater than anybody else.”

He confirmed a lonely smile as he seemed exterior the window.

“I see. Since my mother and father had been nonetheless alive, there was an outdated butler who taken care of my sister and me. However each time I noticed him attentively taking care of the kid who had misplaced her mom, I stored remembering Lalice. He knew a lot that I kicked him out, even supposing he was entrusted with my late mother and father’ last want.”

Listening to the Duke, I nodded my head silently.

“…He…He is aware of all the pieces? About this matter, too?”

“Sure, the outdated butler knew about this matter. However I forgot that he wasn’t the sort to talk carelessly. I used to assume I knew all the pieces, however I’ve turn out to be so tousled currently.”

As he revealed his human aspect, he opened a second bottle of wine.

“Aren’t you ingesting an excessive amount of?”

“Don’t fear. At the moment…I wished to speak to you even when I wanted alcohol to take action. However now I’ve advised you….I really feel comfy.”

That’s what he stated, however the Duke didn’t seem like comfy.

Quite, I noticed him holding again from telling all the pieces, and so I made a decision to seek out the outdated butler myself.

‘I have to discover that butler.’

I couldn’t recall something in regards to the outdated butler from the novel, as if somebody had erased my recollections.

And as soon as once more, the Duke spoke.

“My coronary heart nonetheless aches after I have a look at Rere. I felt horrible for my sister, who left the world with out having lived a correct life. My coronary heart goes out to her. These feelings continually hang-out me.”

“So towards Rere….”

“It was even worse when she was youthful. I attempted to ease my guilt by adopting her as my daughter and bestowing the title of princess upon her, however my coronary heart broke at any time when the kid jogged my memory of my sister.”

Now I understood why he was such a horrible father to Rere.

“That’s why…even now, it’s tough for Rere to name me daddy. Maybe having a man like me as her father is nothing however unhealthy luck. If solely I had been useless and Lalice had been nonetheless alive. Rere could be joyful.”

I slowly drew nearer to him.

The person crying on the within had suppressed his feelings for a very long time.

I criticized him with out figuring out something.

I hated him with out figuring out something.

I had no thought such a narrative existed.

I at all times acted so self-righteously at any time when I criticized him, as if I had been the saint between the 2 of us, not caring what he thought at any time when he noticed Rere. It was so ironic that I laughed at myself.

I stroked his head as he sat in silence. Sitting in his chair with an empty gaze, he silently raised his gaze to me and leaned his shoulder.

“I couldn’t inform anybody. I felt that I couldn’t defend my sister’s final honor if I did. I can’t even inform Rere. It’s simply….your mother cherished you and she or he protected you with all her coronary heart….”

His voice sank even decrease at present.

Had he at all times felt like this?

He went via a spread of feelings identical to a pupa remodeling right into a butterfly.

And the extra I stood with him, the extra I modified my thoughts.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“I had no thought…so I despised you significantly. I despised you as a result of you’re a father who can’t elevate his little one correctly.”

“…I’m the worst in some ways. I failed to guard my youthful sister and her daughter.”

“Any further, all you are able to do is defend Rere. Since you are crucial individual to Rere.”

“I’ve considered it on a regular basis. You’re higher than me and presumably extra necessary to the kid’s future.”

A person as soon as once more succumbed into unhappiness and seemed so lonely.

“A baby wants a father greater than anybody else.”

“Can I keep subsequent to Rere?”

“After all. Please proceed to take care of Rere correctly. You, as her father, and I, as her mom. Allow us to elevate Rere to develop up wholesome.”

Solely then he nodded.

It was the primary time I noticed his totally relaxed expression.

“I’m glad you’re right here.”

“So you have to change any longer. Don’t simply say no matter you need and act nonetheless you need.”

“Okay.”

I wished to say extra, however I held myself again as a result of I had heard a lot from him at present and he was nonetheless hurting.

There was nothing I might do however discuss to him for a very long time over a glass of wine.

Time handed rapidly. I drank a glass or two of wine with him as he advised me about Rere’s childhood till late into the evening.

The following day.

I had a hangover as a result of I drank an excessive amount of wine with the Duke. Although it was previous midday, I couldn’t stand up and rolled round in mattress for a very long time.

“Gosh! Huge Bunny. Aren’t you going to stand up?”

“Rere.”

“Yeaah!”

“…Mother desires to sleep extra…”

Did I drink an excessive amount of? I misplaced observe of what number of bottles of wine we drank as a result of I used to be too engrossed in Rere’s childhood tales.

I had no thought ingesting wine would depart me feeling so terrible the following day.

“However it’s essential to eat. You may be sick in case you skip meals.”

“It’s okay to try this as soon as some time.”

Then, the nanny entered the room with a tray of meals.

“I heard that His Excellency can’t stand up both.”

“Ah…that.”

“No method! Did something occur to you two final evening? In order that’s why you each proceed to sleep like this?”

Rere jumped up and down on the mattress as if she was excited. Because of this, the mattress jolted as if there had been an earthquake. So, I rolled sideways to keep away from Rere.

“Please spare me…only for a day.”

“Are you feeling sick?”

“No…”

However I knew that if I stored refusing to eat, Rere would preserve attempting to set me up with the Duke. So I reluctantly rose from my mattress.

“I’m not sick. Nothing occurred between us. We simply chatted a bit.”

“Tch…simply that? I knew it. You don’t like my daddy, proper?”

“Yeah.”

I shook my head firmly which made me really feel extra nauseous than earlier than.

“Superb. Rere will quit now.”

“Huh…?”

“I gained’t pressure you anymore since you nonetheless don’t like him after spending the evening collectively! If Huge Bunny doesn’t select Daddy, Rere will settle for it.”

“Do you imply it?”

“Yeah! Rere is just not a idiot like my daddy. I don’t need to pressure you to do belongings you dislike. So, let’s change my daddy. I believe it will likely be sooner.”

I picked up the kid and hugged her tightly in my arms.

I used to be nonetheless dizzy and nauseous due to the hangover, however I rubbed my cheek towards the kid’s cheek.

I couldn’t inform her whether or not she ought to hate him or not. As a result of what he stated yesterday broke my coronary heart greater than something,

“Huge Bunny is being bizarre.”

“What? Why am I bizarre?”

“Yeah, you’d have been on my aspect more often than not, however I really feel such as you’re not answering on function at present.”

I sat her in a chair as a substitute of replying.

“Did I?”

I knew that kids are delicate. For a quick second, my coronary heart stopped as a result of Rere had seen the smallest change in me.

“Yeah, you’re being bizarre.”

“Perhaps it’s as a result of I’m hungry. I shouldn’t skip meals simply as Rere suggested then.”

“That’s proper. So you shouldn’t skip meals, okay?”

Due to her urging, I needed to begin consuming with Rere. Nevertheless, my abdomen couldn’t deal with it and I needed to end the meal with out consuming a lot.

As quickly as I completed consuming, I delay all my work and have become one with the mattress once more. Fortuitously, the hangover was higher by night.

Not like me, the Duke, who drank extra wine, stayed in mattress for 2 extra days. He refused to fulfill with us as a result of he didn’t need to make us fear.

He used to keep away from individuals when he was busy with work, so Rere additionally didn’t search for him.

Based on the nanny, his fever worsened and so they needed to name a health care provider to his room.

We visited him at evening out of concern, however he had fallen into such a deep sleep that he didn’t even discover our presence.

“Huge Bunny. Daddy is bizarre.”

“Do you assume so?”

“Every time I confirmed up, he used to get up irrespective of how deeply he slept, however he didn’t get up this time.”

Then, a servant subsequent to him approached us.

“You don’t have to fret. He’s sleeping due to the drugs. He couldn’t sleep nicely due to his horrible fever. I heard he’ll get higher by tomorrow.”

“Is that so…?”

“Are you positive Daddy is okay?”

“Sure. Don’t fear.”

I touched his brow simply in case. The servant was telling the reality as a result of his brow was scorching. I even flinched a bit when my fingers touched his brow.

“How is he, Huge Bunny? Is Daddy alright?”

“Yeah. He does have a fever. If Rere is apprehensive, why don’t you stick with Daddy all day tomorrow?”

“Um, ought to I?”

“As a result of Huge Bunny has an appointment on the temple tomorrow.”

“Superb! Rere will maintain Daddy tomorrow!”

“Your daddy shall be joyful, I suppose?”

“Yup, I suppose so. Ha. It’s actually robust being Rere! I can’t consider I’ve to maintain my daddy.”

“We could ask another person to do it?”

“No! I’ll do it. It could possibly’t be helped.”

Rere pretended to wipe her sweat, walked nearer to the duke with a smile and kissed him on the cheek.

“Daddy, get up. That is so in contrast to you.”