I Don't Need the Grand Duke's Regret - Chapter 134
Charles looked up at Mirabel with desperate eyes. His tearful blue eyes sparkled like glass beads. But Mirabel couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze.
She needed to comfort him, but her throat felt like it was burning with a fire. As she stood there in silence, Charles slowly slipped from Ricardo’s arms.
Mirabel stared intensely at the child. Charles tightly held onto Ricardo’s finger with his small hand and put the other hand into his pocket. Then he pulled it out and extended it to Mirabel.
“Mommy, I’ll give you this. So please Charles home here too.”
As Charles opened his tiny hand, the chocolate cookie Mirabel had given him earlier appeared. Charles carefully presented the half-melted cookie as if it was a precious treasure.
“I give you this… please?”
The child, with a sniffle, offered the cookie and earnestly pleaded. Mirabel felt her heart sink all the way to her toes. The scene before her was overwhelming.
It was dizzying.
Ricardo must be just a meaningless figure to Charles.
He should be. Why is the child so attached to him?
Because he’s his father?
Does Charles instinctively know that Ricardo is his father?
Mirabel was torn. Though her mind knew better, she was crumbling under the child’s behavior.
“Charles…”
Mirabel’s voice, calling the child’s name, grew moist with emotion.
Charles, you mustn’t follow this man.
This man is someone who tried to harm you.
He did things that I can’t even explain to you just to prevent me from having you.
This man said you weren’t needed.
This man…
Mirabel’s thoughts whirled as she struggled to find words to the child. She felt dizzy and weak, barely able to stand.
In the end, she couldn’t continue speaking and collapsed. Her vision blurred, and the sound of the child’s cries and Ricardo’s shouts faded into the distance.
As the sounds receded rapidly, Mirabel closed her eyes, engulfed in despair.
* * *
When Mirabel opened her eyes, the room was filled with a blue light. She blinked slowly, and as her initially hazy vision gradually cleared, she felt someone gripping her hand tightly.
“Mirabel!”
Mirabel turned her eyes toward the source of the low, distressed voice. Ricardo, who had met her gaze, contorted his face in agony. He grasped her hand with both of his and spoke with a moan.
“Thank goodness…”
“…Where is Charles?”
Mirabel averted her gaze from Ricardo and looked around the room. Not finding any sign of the child anywhere, her blue eyes flickered with anxiety.
“Where is Charles?”
“Calm down. Charles is sleeping in the next room with a maid.”
Mirabel, barely listening to Ricardo’s explanation, tried to get out of bed. As her feet touched the floor, she felt as though the ground was swaying, and her body wobbled.
Ricardo quickly approached and caught her arm.
“Are you okay?”
“Charles…”
Mirabel struggled to free herself from Ricardo’s firm grasp. Her movements were weak and unsteady, but her determination was resolute.
“My child.”
Ricardo’s expression turned troubled at her desperate tone. He lifted her into his arms and headed for the door connecting to the green room.
“It’s still early, so both the maid and Charles are probably sound asleep.”
Ricardo calmly explained as he opened the door. Through the crack, Mirabel could see Charles sleeping soundly in Sophie’s arms.
Seeing that the child was safe, Mirabel finally relaxed and eased her tension.
“Is it alright now? Don’t worry, Charles is safe. Ugo said you seemed very stressed. He mentioned that you collapsed due to not eating properly.”
Ricardo placed Mirabel back on the bed and held her hand with concern.
“Why did you do that? Was the food not to your taste?”
“It’s only natural that I can’t eat comfortably here.”
With a sharp slap, Mirabel pushed Ricardo’s hand away and glared at him with fiery eyes. She fixed him with a piercing stare and spoke.
“I’ll be leaving at dawn, so you should know that.”
“…Alright.”
At Mirabel’s declaration, Ricardo cast his eyes downward in gloom. However, soon he lifted his gaze to meet Mirabel’s, with a look of determined resolve.
“You can leave. But I’ll go with you.”
“What are you saying?”
Mirabel’s eyes widened in surprise at Ricardo’s words. Noticing her reaction, Ricardo quickly amended his statement.
“Don’t misunderstand. I mean I’ll escort you to the border.”
“There’s no need for that. The carriage is protected by magic.”
Mirabel firmly rejected Ricardo’s offer. At a time when she was trying to leave, she didn’t want any extra farewells.
“I’ll decline.”
“Please reconsider.”
To Mirabel’s surprise, Ricardo was insistent. He took her hand again, tightening his grip.
“You mentioned that the beasts are rampant. Even if the carriage is protected by magic, we can’t be completely sure of safety.”
Mirabel quietly tried to pull her hand away from Ricardo. Before she could express her refusal, he spoke again.
“Think of it for Charles’s sake.”
The mention of Charles made Mirabel pause. Her eyes flickered, then shifted towards Sophie’s room.
Charles was the only person who could make Mirabel feel powerless.
If it were for Charles’s safety, Mirabel would do anything.
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