…My mind goes blank.
I wanted to go back to Duelkis Kingdom right now. I wanted to let go of everything and go see Gramps Will. But there were many things I had to do right now.
I promised to help Rio. I couldn’t betray them now.
I would rest Kushana’s village for a bit, and then return to Rio. I currently have neither physical nor magical strength left. If I did not eat something and rest my body just for a few hours, I would collapse.
With Rio and Leon in my hands, I could not fall ill.
It would be a long time before I could be trained to be strong.
Gramps Will would never belittle me. I worry about him a lot. But I wouldn’t want to be the kind of woman who breaks her word.
“I…I can’t leave yet.”
I answered, staring straight into Duke-sama’s eyes.
If I were a free-spirited heroine, I would definitely be running to Gramps Will right now. It would be an eternal farewell to my precious mentor.
I would have left Rio and Leon in the hands of my trusted Duke-sama, Victor, and Vian, and be on my way to Duelkis Kingdom.
But this was my role, and I was determined to help Rio by collecting Maddie in the Ravaal Kingdom. I had to take responsibility.
Duke-sama lived in a world like this for a long time.
Gramps Will was the one who made me what I was today. He was like my favorite family member.
Duke-sama stared at me with a somewhat pained frown. Is he expecting me to cry?
At the very least, I wanted to be strong. I didn’t want Duke-sama to see the weak side of me, even if it was a lie.
I gave myself a self-deprecating smile.
“It’s precisely what a villainess would do, not going to see someone important to them even if they may die, right?”
I didn’t want to be such a villainess.
My voice trembled a little, but I tried my best to hide it by putting on a mask. It had been sunny earlier, but before I knew it, the sky was covered with clouds, and drops of water were hitting my face.
I yelled at Duke-sama, who remained silent, not caring that it had rained.
“Why don’t you just despise me? Get angry at me, tell me I’m a disgusting woman!”
My voice became louder.
I wanted someone to punish me for not going to see Gramps Will. I wanted him to blame me for showing no emotion at the loss of someone I respected.
The rain got heavier, and before I realized it, my body was soaking wet.
Duke-sama gently approached me and hugged me carefully. I felt as if something in my heart would crumble at the touch of his kindness.
“Why? Why are you being so nice to a woman like me?”
“You look like you’re about to cry.”
Duke-sama’s calm voice overlapped my rough voice.
I had decided not to cry… I had been desperately trying to hold back my tears…
Duke-sama had ruined everything.
Slowly, my body relaxed, and I realized that in front of Duke-sama, it was okay to cry, to expose my heart to him.
At that moment, the tears flowed uncontrollably.
Gramps Will, I wanted to see you. I would like to express my gratitude and love to you. I would like to show you how much I have developed because of you.
I wanted to tell you that what you taught me is my greatest treasure.
Regardless of my intention, large drops of water run down my cheeks. I never thought that losing someone would be so painful and heartbreaking.
Duke-sama embraced me warmly as I sobbed like a child, and I suddenly realized that I’d relied on his arms for support ever since I met him again in the Ravaal Kingdom.
Gilles, did you have to go through all this alone?
And yet, you continued to endure this pain while trying to create a cure to save Gramps Will?
I cried even more when I thought of Gilles.
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