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“That child…”
“I thought you’d know.”
“…”
“All your expressions say that you know this child.”
The Grand Duke’s words made her lips quiver.
For a long time, the room was filled with silence. My mother, who sighed several times, looked at the child with a deep sigh.
“No, I don’t know him.”
“Really?”
“Yes, it’s my first time seeing his face.”
My mother’s hand reached out to the child.
“…First time seeing this child?”
“Come here, child.”
However, the child did not think of coming close to my mother’s call. As expected, she put her hand down again and stroked my head instead.
“I thought we should talk about it someday, but I didn’t think it would come this soon. I wanted to hide it a little longer, sweetheart.”
“Mom?”
“My baby… I was hoping the day would come when I told you… I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you first.”
Like the day my mom died, my mother’s voice was calmer yet trembled.
“What do you mean, Mom?”
“That kid is… maybe your twin brother.”
I only blinked. It was surprising that a boy looked exactly like me, but he and I are twins. I just tilted my head towards my mother. But that was when my mother started her story.
“ Beatrice, Alphius had a twin who was always together before they were born.”
“Are we… twins?”
“No way. My brother is dead! I… I saw him die. I saw my… my… my burned black!”
The child, who was yelling, shook his head violently and denied the situation.
“Yeah… didn’t it happen when you were very young?”
“Are you ignoring me because I’m young?”
“I’m not ignoring you. If you saw it, it’s a memory. And actually… the child was burned.”
The story of the two of them went on. I couldn’t believe the situation and couldn’t even guess what they were talking about, so I just blinked.
“But why is he my brother? Why am I his sister?”
“Because the dead child is not Bebe. Someone broke up… the two children. And the dead child… was mine.”
“Mom…?”
At her unexpected words, I had no choice but to open my mouth.
“I’m sorry, Bebe. Bebe isn’t really my child. That doesn’t mean I was forced to raise you. I didn’t raise you as my child’s substitute. I really loved you. I loved you so much more than my child. I was always happy to be your mother.”
What could I say?
Was this what she was hiding? Was this my mother’s good lie? It would’ve been better if it was something else. Why… Why did this happen?
“Mom… isn’t my mom?”
“Yes, the mother who gave birth to you is different to the mother who gave birth to Alphius.”
“No. It can’t be. No… No. Mom… you’re really my mom. You said it was real… Yes. I have no other memories. Nonsense. I… I don’t even remember having an older brother like that. I didn’t even know that his mother had another child… I…”
Tears fell from my eyes, and strange emotions sprung up and messed my mind. Still, I couldn’t stop.
“Why are you lying? Is this a good lie too? Is that so? That’s right. It’s like that, Mom… you’re telling me a good lie.”
“No, baby, it’s true.”
“Why is that… Mom, what did Bebe do wrong? So… that’s why you hate me? If that’s the case… I’m sorry, so don’t say that. I’m my mother’s daughter, right?”
But my mother only shook her head with a determined expression on her face.
“Bebe, do you have any memory of the Emperor you thought was your real father?”
“Of course. Mom and I… are always… there was a father… who loved us…”
There certainly was, I thought so, but my memories kept getting tangled up.
My dad who loved me… Dad must have been there but it felt like he didn’t exist.
“Hey sweetheart… Mama can actually use magic. Didn’t I say before that your bloodline is endowed with strong magical powers?”
“…”
“But I didn’t know how to use magic. One day, I found out. My magic is… the power of words… the power of formulating stories, so… it covered your memory with lies. At least I made up fake memories in the hopes of you being happy.”