DYBAR - Chapter 73 < For A Daughter Who Resembles My Wife >

DYBAR - Chapter 73 < For A Daughter Who Resembles My Wife >

Do Your Best And Regret

Giovanni, Duke of Madeleine, could not bear to finish speaking. He let out a shaky breath and wiped his face with his hand. The reason his jewel-like daughter has been avoiding him lately is because of Olivia. 

The moment he faced the fact that he was trying to pretend not to notice, his breathing became difficult, as if someone was strangling him. It was beyond miserable. It was terrible. To what extent is she really trying to make him unhappy?

"... Whatever she said, it doesn't matter. Ethella."

Giovanni spoke slowly, gathering his fading mind. That was what Ethella was saying, but it was also what he was saying to himself. Everything Olivia said didn't matter.

"Madeleine, everything. I will erase it."

The words about erasing Madeleine

"I didn't make the Duke unhappy."

The words Olivia said as if to provoke him. It was a sound that didn't even work. The reason she made Giovanni unhappy wasn't just from the moment she arrived at the mansion. That night 21 years ago, when her mother, a dancer who made money, was drunk with him. 

Ever since that night when he had a private meeting with the Duke of Elkin, the head of the noble faction, she had made him unhappy. So her utility value was just to bring her into the imperial palace instead of Ethella.

"It's important."

Giovanni lowered his hand at the sound of Ethella's wet voice, and for a moment his heart ached. Her amethyst-colored eyes which looked exactly like his were filled with tears.

"She didn't do anything wrong."

"The mistake...!"

Giovanni gritted his teeth. His eyes turned pitch black with anger. His clenched fists were so tight that he lost all feeling, but he couldn't bear to tell his daughter the truth.

"She is not your sister."

The words he used to admonish were sharp. But even with her tear-filled eyes, Ethella stubbornly shook her head.

"She's my sister."

“Ethella!”

Giovanni burst out in anger and said no. He never yelled at his daughter this loudly in his entire life... Why does he become so unhappy every time he gets involved with that girl? Would everything have been okay if he hadn't brought that child at all? 

Giovanni lowered his head in misery. It was a time when the sound of heavy breathing was accumulating in the living room.

"...... Mom."

For a moment he couldn't breathe.

"Mom told me she was my sister."

"..."

"Olivia. Obviously, she's my sister."

"..."

"Therefore. She's my sister."

He could feel Ethella's gaze on him, but Giovanni could not bear to raise his head. After a long time, the gaze was withdrawn, and the sound of her shoe heels became distant. Only after the door opened and closed did he slowly look up from the living room, where he was completely alone. The amethyst-colored eyes looking at the door were stained with longing and pain.

"...Ethella looks just like you."

Hazel. Behind the words he blurted out, a name that he could not bear to call came to mind. Just thinking of the name made him unable to breathe, as if a knife had been stabbed in his heart.

"Even though you hired such a terrible nanny, didn't you take a look? She did nothing wrong!"

The moment a cold voice came to mind, Giovanni bit his lip. Afterimages of the past lingered in his mind. It was the first time Hazel's door, which had been closed, was opened after the child entered the mansion. Even when the door opened, Giovanni had assumed that Hazel had decided to understand him. However, the moment the brown eyes that were always warm looked at him coldly, he realized the reality.

"It was your fault, Geo."

"I am... I think I should at least take responsibility for bringing that child in."

"That kid. As the younger sister of Conrad and Jade and the older sister of Ethella, she should be treated similarly to my children."

Just thinking about the voices pouring down like a dagger made him feel both sorrow and sadness at the same time. 

Giovanni stumbled for a moment and then flopped down on the sofa. Heat rose above his forehead. A pulling, stabbing pain at the back of his neck filled his mind. 

Giovanni closed his eyes. This was what the doctor told him to do whenever he felt a pulling sensation in the back of his neck. But even as pitch-black darkness came, nothing improved. His breathing became difficult.

Knock. Knock.

Lord Huxley came in with a knock.

"The Princess left a little while ago..."

Lord Huxley, who brought a teapot and a tea cup, hurriedly put the tray down on the table and approached the Duke. His complexion hasn't been good lately, but it's the first time Lord Huxley has seen it look as gray as it did today.

"I'll call a doctor."

"... It's okay. Let's have some tea."

"Still..."

Lord Huxley, who trailed off for a moment, resigned himself. The Duke did not bend his will. No matter what he did, he couldn't change the words that were spoken with such a bossy disposition. 

Lord Huxley had no choice but to bring the tray again. He picked up the steaming teapot and poured tea into a cup. With the sound of tea dripping, one of the Duke's eyebrows rose.

"The tea I drank before."

The tea in the teacup in front of him was the color of light grass. The tea that usually soothed his sensitive nerves was a transparent brown color. At those words, Lord Huxley lowered his head with an embarrassed expression.

"I apologize, Duke. I was trying to get that tea."

For many years now, Sir Huxley has always been in charge of his tea. As a rookie aide, he created a tea that suited his taste from the beginning. The Duke, who was looking at Lord Huxley silently, immediately swallowed his sleep. The tea drank at the mansion reflexively came to mind. Tea that was transparent and brown in color that Ethella sometimes brought to the office. A strange, blurry image emerged from his clogged memories. 

A long time ago, when this tea first started coming up to him, a girl's youthful appearance became increasingly clear. The Duke soon shook his head as if to shake off his thoughts.

"Is there still no answer from Vikander Territory?"

"Well, I'm sorry."

Sir Huxley's uncertain answer made his mouth swell as if it were filled with grains of sand. Then the Duke slowly opened his mouth.

"Lord Huxley."

"Yes."

"Go to Vikander Territory."

Lord Huxley's eyes widened. The Duke, who only has one assistant, sent him to Vikander territory.

"To Olivia. Tell her personally to come back to the mansion."

And that too for the first Princess. Lord Huxley's heart skipped a little when he heard these words for the first time. He had no idea how happy the eldest Princess, who always looked at this office with her expectant green eyes, would be when she heard this story. 

When the eldest Princess came, she would put everything back in place, even the slightest mistake. The Duke, who suffers from vascular disease, is sick, and the Duke, who feels strangely lonely every time he goes. Even the face of the second Princess, who had just walked out with her head held high and a tearful face. 

Lord Huxley moved quickly. Meanwhile, the Duke let out a soft sigh. And he blinked his dry eyes. 

Olivia. It was only for her daughter's sake that he brought her back to the mansion... Ethella, resembles Hazel and has a soft heart. He decided to forgive Olivia just a little bit for always bringing him misfortune. 

Giovanni closed his eyes again. He sincerely hoped that if Hazel knew what he really wanted, she would forgive him just a little bit. 

When his eyes were closed, a shuddering darkness filled his vision. There, Giovanni longed for Hazel's voice. But salvation did not come. 

***

The Etel family's carriage passed through the main gate of the Princess's palace. She enjoyed watching the scenery outside pass by quickly, and Maria Ethel snorted her nose.

"This is an order from Her Highness the Princess to enter the palace quickly."

"Oh my, Her Royal Highness, who is like a saint, is looking for our Young Lady. Miss, I really have to call you Her Highness the Crown Princess now."

A little while ago, an imperial servant came to the mansion. The nanny was pleased and quickly helped her get ready to go out. But Maria was secretly annoyed. She goes to the Crown Prince's palace almost every day, but she can't bear to take a day off. It must be because of the summer banquet.

The Princess called Maria to tell her that she was having a tea party today, but she didn't attend and it seems the Princess called her as soon as it was over. Maria had avoided the last call by making a fool of Leopold, so she couldn't avoid it today. 

No, there was no reason to avoid it. In any case, Maria was now in a position to take care of the Princess's affairs, and at the same time, her status was no longer just that of a Marquis's daughter, but that of the Prince's fiancee, the future Crown Princess. 

The carriage stopped and the door opened. Maria gracefully got out of the carriage and walked briskly, holding onto the hem of her dress. The young maid saw Maria and quickly lowered her head.

"I will take you to the parlor. The nanny who followed you, this way"

"Oh my God. Thanks to you, what luxury is this?"

The nanny muttered in an absent-minded voice. She said she was happy just to have followed her to the imperial palace. In fact, It was Maria's first time being treated with such courtesy. It was a polite greeting that she could not enjoy simply because of her status as the daughter of a marquis. 

Maria's lips drew a soft line as she felt exhilarated. Okay. She was about to become the Crown Princess. The Princess must have been aware of this fact and made her request to her maid. If she had kept it a secret at this point, it was Maria's turn to reveal the truth to the Princess. She plans to hold an engagement ceremony during the summer banquet with the help of Her Majesty the Empress and the Duke of Elkin. Perhaps Her Majesty the Empress had already spoken to the Princess. So it made sense if the maids were so polite. 

The bridge of her pretty nose rose a little higher. Maria took her steps triumphantly. She did not feel the atmosphere of the palace becoming more sinister at all.

"Maria Ethel, meet Your Highness the Princess."

The reception room of the Princess's palace. A sonorous voice rang through the living room. Maria Ethel, with her perfect posture and courtesy, lowered her head and blinked her eyes. There were no words telling her to get up or thanking her for coming. 

According to etiquette, people of low status could not raise their heads until they received permission from their superiors. Even if she maintains this posture for just thirty seconds, sweat will form on her forehead. This was also a method Maria often used at tea parties when picking on girls she didn't like. 

But she has never been harmed. She was the daughter of the writer Etelhu and the only lover of the Prince. No one could insult her like this. What is this situation now? 

Maria Ethel was confused. Clearly, the Princess had to like her. She said that the Duke of Elkin had spoken well to the Empress and Her Majesty, and that, above all, Leopold had comforted the Princess well.

"I consoled you well, so you must do well from now on, Maria, got it?"

There clearly seemed to be some kind of misunderstanding. Maria tried to raise her body. But soon she let out a shallow moan. The moment she tried to raise her body, someone grabbed her with strong force and pressed her down.

"Please be polite to Her Highness the Princess, Young Lady."

The words mixed in were more infuriating than the intimidating voice. What a Young Lady! She was the one to become the Crown Princess. But she was alone here with the door closed, and the Princess was nowhere to be seen. 

Sweat started to form on Maria's forehead. It was obvious that the beautifully decorated makeup must have been ruined by sweat. Her arms and legs, which she always kept thin, were shaking.

Maria bit her lip tightly. It was a time when it felt like tons of time were passing by.

"It's hard to see your precious face just once."

Someone roughly lifted Maria up with a drowsy voice. Without knowing whether it was her tears or sweat, Maria saw the Princess smiling brightly beyond her blurred vision. The sea-colored eyes in her beautiful, narrow eyes were looking down at Maria Ethel with scorn.

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