I Unintentionally Cured the Grand Duke’s Insomnia - Chapter 87

44. — Family’s Name (1)

There was nothing special in the letter from my father, which began with “To my beloved daughter, Lia.” It only contained greetings asking if everything was okay, along with a message that his schedule was delayed more than expected, and he was just now heading up to Aren.

I read and reread those few lines of text.

「 Lia, are you crying? 」

At Noya’s cautious question, I lifted my gaze from the letter to look at him. As his concerned and worried face examined my face, I gaped in embarrassment as tears streamed down my cheeks.

“No, I’m not crying, it’s just, it’s just…!”

“Lia!”

At that moment, the tightly closed door suddenly burst open.

In the doorway, my father and mother, who seemed to have come straight to the estate, stood with haggard faces. I burst into tears at the sight of the newspaper in my father’s hand and my mother’s eyes welling up with tears, her forehead wrinkled as if she had been crying.

“It’s okay, come here. My daughter.”

“…Lia.”

I could see the two of them with tears in their eyes and their arms spread wide.

I cried like a child in the embrace of my parents, who seemed to be by my side through any storm, no matter how harsh.

˚ ·: * ✧ * :· ˚

I cried so much that my nose became stuffy, and I made sniffling sounds. In addition, my eyes were swollen, and I could barely see anything.

Still, I felt relieved.

It felt like even the remnants of emotions left in my heart had been washed away by tears.

I couldn’t help but smile as I watched my mother discreetly wipe away the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief, and my father cleared his throat with a loud, raspy cough. I had always been grateful for a love I had never received in my life, but it seemed that I had relied on and loved them just as much.

I opened my mouth to speak first, looking at my mother and father, whose hands were still clasped tightly around mine.

“Have you managed to resolve what happened at the territory?”

“Ah, that matter? Not yet.”

“Not yet? Does that mean you’re going back down again?”

“That’s not it. It seems like what happened at the territory might not be just our problem…?”

My father, who had been speaking slowly, suddenly stopped and glanced at my mother. He let out an awkward cough after he silently gazed at her face for a moment. It seemed like there was some kind of signal between the two of them under a small tea table.

“Lia, what about you? Are you okay?”

“Me?”

As I watched my mother smoothly change the topic, I couldn’t help but think that what had happened at the territory might have been more serious than I had initially thought.

“Yes, I’ve heard everything from Lily. Our precious baby, how difficult it must have been for you all alone.”

Tears welled up once again in my mother’s eyes as she held my hand on the table. I opened my mouth with my eyes puffy, barely able to open them halfway.

“No, it’s not your fault. It was my wrongdoing. I’m even more sorry for tarnishing the family’s name.”

My mother’s grip, which was holding my hand, tightened at my carefully chosen words. On the other hand, my father, who was sitting across from me, turned his head and discreetly wiped away his tears.

“Lia, my beloved child.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“The family name is as good as nonexistent to us without you, so don’t think that you’ve tarnished it.”

“….”

“No, even if you brought disgrace to the family and if you were at fault, it would be shared between me and your father.”

“Yes, Lia. If you have made a mistake, all you need to do is sincerely apologize and seek forgiveness.”

My mother’s calm words were quickly followed by my father’s.

While my nose was tingling with their immense love, I couldn’t help but feel something was odd. They couldn’t possibly know that I had plagiarized.

No, no one in this world would know that there was an issue with my book.

The tip of my nose was slightly wrinkled by the great love between the two, but I also felt that something was strange. In the first place, there was no way they could have known that I had plagiarized. No, no one in the world would have known there was something wrong with my book.

If there were such a person, they would be like me…

“By the way, I was worried that your debutante was delayed, but I’m glad you can still get married early.”

“…Yes?”

I had an ominous feeling when I heard my mother’s words with a smile. When I quickly turned my head to look at my father, he stuck out his lips with a strange expression that seemed both complicated and pleased.

“Wait, wait a minute, Mother. Marriage?”

“I heard the news at the territory that you performed the final at the debutante with His Highness the Grand Duke Destro. In fact, back then, I didn’t think your relationship would be this deep…”

“N, no!”

“Lia?”

“I, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I don’t have that kind of relationship with His Highness…!”

My words, which I had been unconsciously pouring out, came to an abrupt halt. It was because, meeting the expectant gazes of my father and mother, I couldn’t bring myself to speak the truth.

How could I say it?

Your daughter, Adelia Blaise, was merely an extra in this novel and someone who couldn’t stand next to Cain. So, I was just one of the people who would pass by his side.

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