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I looked at Duke with a little surprise.
Because he seemed to be the type of person who had never said thank you to another since he was born.
But even such a man had a weakness, and for now, Elodie was his.
Therefore, if it’s for Elodie’s sake, it seemed that he could say thank you to an ordinary commoner like me.
The three of us started walking towards the meeting place in an awkward atmosphere. I tried to talk to Elodie, but she only responded with a short answer as to whether being near the Duke really bothered her.
After walking for about 20 minutes, a bright yellow ginkgo grove came into view.
As we got closer to the forest, the sound of children laughing and talking was heard. When I arrived, all the other houses had already arrived and settled down on their seats and spread their mats.
The lady who hosted the meeting greeted us with a smile.
“Welcome, Miss Bertin.”
“I’m sorry. Are we very late?”
“You’re welcome. We just arrived, too.”
Another woman next to me spoke in a friendly tone.
“The same goes for us. Oh my, there she is! Hello Elodie!”
I greeted some of the wives who were my usual acquaintances and opened my mouth to the timid Elodie.
“Elodie, go play with your friends.”
“……Yes.”
Elodie nodded her head with a frightened face, but she didn’t refuse.
I glanced at Elodie with a worried face.
The children gathered at the picnic today were all about the age of five or seven, and except for Elodie, they knew each other well.
‘It must be difficult to get close in the first meeting.’
I also didn’t expect Elodie, who had never been with a child her age, to make friends on the first try. I just wish she had learned a little bit about how to get along with her peers.
Not only to be liked by adults.
Fortunately, Paul, the most energetic of the children, spoke to Elodie first.
“Do you want to play ‘Guardians and Thieves?”
“That……what’s that?”
“It’s easy! The guards just have to go catch the thief, and the thief has to run away. Did you understand?”
“Y-Yes.”
Elodie looked a little nervous, but she listened intently to Paul.
“Everyone wants to be a thief, so we need someone to be the guard. But it’s your first time, so if you want, I’ll make you a thief.”
Elodie nodded her head.
“I want to be a guard.”
Paul’s face brightened.
“Really? You promised!”
I smiled as I looked at Elodie, who was screaming and running around with children her age.
Although she was smaller than other children, she was so nimble that she could seize the children playing the thieves and put them in prison without much difficulty.
‘It wouldn’t be any good to keep watching.’
When children were playing together, attention should be turned off as much as possible. I turned my head to the wives as soon as I saw that Elodie had moderately blended among the other children.
‘…….’
I swallowed a sigh.
As expected, everyone’s attention was focused on the Duke. It’s like everyone is crowded around him….
It was fortunate that he was dressed in black with no embellishments. If he wore flashy clothes like an aristocrat, I would have to be questioned right away.
Of course, now I couldn’t avoid the sharp questions of the wives who have been through hell and high water.
“By the way, this is……?”
Paul’s mother, Mrs. Devaka, tilted her head to look at the Duke, and at that exact moment, she and her best friend, Mrs. Holson, gasped.
I didn’t like Mrs. Holson very much.
It was because she meddled in everything with me, who had grown old enough, as if I was a little girl she had to take care of. Her rude tone was a bonus.
“Oh, isn’t it him? The one who visits Miss Bertin’s Cafe every day!”
I smiled vaguely at the question with no intention of hiding my intentions.
“Well, he does come every day….”
Mrs. Holson opened her eyes wide.
“I had only heard rumors, but if I had known that he was this handsome, I would have visited sooner! You still stop by the café these days, right?”
Mrs. Holson didn’t even wait for the Duke’s answer and continued to talk.
“Wow, this is the first time I have seen such a handsome man. Don’t you want to become an actor? I think all the capital troupes would give you a free pass, right?”
While Mrs. Holson was pouring out her outspoken remarks, Mrs. Devaka who was not very interested in rumors, frowned and asked.
“By the way, what’s your relationship with Miss Bertin?”
I froze in panic for a moment. You could say there’s nothing, but then it becomes a really strange situation.
It was then.
Mrs. Holson threw the bomb.
“No way……you are not the father, are you?”
“That’s right.”
The Duke’s reply echoed through the air without me stopping.
“I am Elodie’s father.”
“……!”
Not only were Mrs. Holson and Mrs. Devaka astonished, but all the ladies around pricked their ears.
I touched my forehead.
Of course, he was right. Naturally, I was also planning to introduce the Duke as the father who reunited after losing Elodie a long time ago.
But, if you answer a question like that in that way……!
“Oh my god!”
Mrs. Holson placed her hands on her chest.
“I was wondering when Miss Bertin’s mate would show up, but you brought such a wonderful man.”
“Miss Bertin, congratulations. You are a perfect match.”
Even Mrs. Debaka was helping out.
I hurriedly waved my hand.
“I’m sorry for disappointing the two of you, but this person and I are not like that. this person is…….”
I quickly moved my brain, but couldn’t think of a way to talk around the Duke’s statement.
All that’s left is to be straightforward.
“He is Elodie’s biological father.”
Oh, this sounds even weirder.
Seeing the Duke’s sneering expression on his face, he seemed to have noticed my mistake too. I quickly settled the situation which became even more confusing.
“You know that I’m raising Elodie because her parents aren’t here, right?”
“I know. It was pretty famous, right? Miss Bertin good deed.”
The Duke’s eyebrows twitched at the words that treated Elodie only as a ‘good deed’.
I was in a hurry to speak.
“Actually, Elodie had parents. They lost each other when she was very young, so he couldn’t find her, but by some kind of twist of fate, this person happened to find Elodie…… We meet every now and then.”
Mrs. Holson frowned.
“Then why is this person……Hey, what’s your name?”
“Theodor.”
The Duke replied simply and I stroked my chest in relief.
If he had said ‘Duke Theodor Vanice, there would have been a great uproar. Of course, the quiet life for me and Elodie would immediately end.
Just thinking about the possibility that local reporters would flock to the area gave me a headache. It was fortunate that the Duke of Vanice did not go out that far.
Mrs. Holson smiled contentedly and continued.
“Well, if Mr. Theodore here is Elodie’s real father, why didn’t he take Elodie right away?”
“Madam, that’s…”
“It’s weird no matter how you think about it. There’s no reason for Miss Bertin to keep raising Elodie.”
I was speechless.
How else can I explain it?
Elodie saw this man misunderstand me as a kidnapper and tried to kill me on the spot, and because of that, she hated her real father terribly.
I can’t send Elodie to someone like this either. I swallowed dry saliva and lied without batting an eyelash.
“Elodie likes me very much. I also like Elodie. She insists on staying with me, besides, Mr. Theodore said it was okay too….”
“As long as Elodie is happy, I don’t mind just watching her like this.”
The Duke of Vanice helped with a serious face and Mrs. Holson clapped her hands.
“Ah, it was like that. That’s why he came to the cafe every day! I also thought you had fallen in love with this Miss Bertin here.”
Just as she was about to say of course no, Mrs. Holson delivered the final blow.
“But I can’t believe there’s nothing there either… Mr. Theodore, do you really have no feelings for this beautiful lady here?”