How to Live as the Mad Duke’s Fake Daughter - CH 84

“Hm? What rumor?”

“That…”

Yuria looked around and pressed her lips to my ear.

“The fact that the Princess already has someone in mind.”

“Ah.”

No matter what I would hear, it must be the gossip that tied me and Benny.

Yuria must be well aware that I was indifferent towards Benny, but she seemed to have still not given up on that idea.

“Yuria, that rumor…”

“Young Margrave* of the East, Sir Barsaro!” (TL/N: the military governor assigned to maintain the defense of a border province.)

Who?

“Bar… what?”

“The one who inherited the title of count at the age of only 15. I heard he fell in love with the Princess… Don’t you know?”

It was the first time I had ever heard of that name in my life.

“I’ve never met him.”

“Ah, of course, that would be the case with Sir Barsaro as well.”

The more I listened, the more nonsensical the story that came out.

“He has never met me, so why does he like me?”

Yuria had a rather strange expression at my question.

I was confused about what was going on at this moment, but I understood everything with her following words.

“Yes, because the Princess is the Duke’s daughter.”

“Ah.”

She was very honest at times like this. In short, he fell in love with my family.

“Even though the intentions are slightly impure… It’s not a bad thing for a decent guy to be a fan, right?”

“Hm, well…”

If I were a real princess, it would be like that.

As I shrugged vaguely, I suddenly thought of a good excuse to avoid Yuria’s questions.

“…I don’t know him well, but hearing what you say seems to make me a little more interested.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. So that Barsa… what sa? I mean, investigate that lord.”

“All right! Just leave it to me!”

Yuria jumped out.

I waited for her footsteps to completely disappear, then sighed in relief.

‘If I don’t do this, she will continue bothering me.’

Now, I didn’t even have the strength to be nasty to drive Yuria out.

I locked the door and dragged the brazier to the side of the desk.

As soon as I lit a fire in an enclosed space, my cheeks heated up.

It was painful to do this on a summer day, but there was a reason I couldn’t turn it off.

I took out a smooth piece of paper, placed it on the desk, and dipped the quill in ink.

There was one month left until the day I would run away. There was a letter that had to be completed before that day.

「To Dad.」

As soon as I wrote the first word, I crumpled the paper and threw it into the fire.

For a while, the scraps of paper burned together with the ashes that had been accumulated.

‘How should I call Alan?’

Since I called Alan ‘Dad’ for four years, writing a letter as the real me, not Lily, made it difficult to complete even a single line.

After writing and erasing crooked letters several times, I finally picked the most comfortable title.

「To Duke Alan.」

This seemed to suit letters to be left just before running away at night.

But after moving the quill to the next line, I stopped again.

‘Where should I start apologizing?’

After crossing one hurdle, another hurdle awaited me.

‘I can’t believe I’m writing an apology letter when I intend to run away, it’s an act that gives me pain.’

After struggling with many thoughts, I ended up half-closing my eyes and writing down whatever came to my mind.

I lied that I was Lily because you might kill me, I’m so sorry, you don’t have to forgive me… and such.

Although I knew it would sound like an excuse, I had no choice other than to write down my honest feelings.

As I was telling the truth, the paper suddenly became filled.

The moment I put a dot at the end of the letter, somehow my pulse loosened.

‘It’s really over.’

I felt it for sure.

I would leave this castle. That too, on the day of the debutante ball.

There was a reason behind choosing the most celebrated day as the last day.

If a banquet with outsiders was held, escaping the castle would become much easier.

I was not sure about the guests entering, but they wouldn’t check the guests who go home one by one.

‘If there is one last wish…’

Without realizing it, I remembered a vain dream.

‘I hope Alan will be happy even if I leave.’

But it would be impossible. Soon, even the fake happiness would disappear.

‘I’m sorry.’

If there was no unexpected change, the time I could spend in the duke’s castle was only one month from now.

Without realizing it, I drooped down and pressed my cheeks together.

‘Let’s go.’

I folded the letter neatly. It would be delivered someday, but it was not the right time yet.

I had to hide it until I left.

A place that had not been used for a while, but where Alan would search if I disappeared while overturning the duke’s castle.

Such a hiding place was surprisingly easy to come up with.

Bang! Bang! Then someone knocked on the door harshly.

I hurriedly put the letter in the pocket of my underskirt.

“Wait, Yuria! Ack, it’s hot!”

I hurriedly turned off the fire and opened the door.

Unexpectedly, it was not Yuria who was standing outside the room.

As soon as I saw his red eyes, I frowned at once.

“…Why are you here?”

The blond boy tilted his head crookedly.

“Do you have any complaints?”

I sighed and glanced sideways at the brazier.

Fortunately, the letters that had just been thrown in were reduced to ashes without a trace.

Michael was fed up with the heat in the room and flapped the front of his shirt.

“Why are you starting a fire in the middle of summer?”

“None of your business.”

I stuck my tongue out and opened the window. A cool breeze blew gently.

The summer in the north was still rather cool, so if I stayed still, the sweat would go away.

“So. What’s going on, Michael?”

“You must have business to see me…”

“I don’t have time.”

There was no way Michael would have come to me without a purpose.

He was not like Brother Pedro or Brother Hugo.

Michael, who had his arms crossed, closed the door. There was a ‘click’ sound of the lock turning.

“What? Why are you locking the door?”

Michael approached without answering. Somehow, his mood was unusual.

“You…”

An unexpected question flowed out of Michael’s mouth, who was setting the mood to the fullest.

“Are you going to marry the crown prince?”

I blinked and let out a sad laugh.

How many times have I already heard of the word ‘marriage’? That crown prince, he’s so entangled with me.

“What does that have to do with you?”

I turned my head to look out the window.

I had no intention of getting married, but there was no reason to explain the details to Michael.

Michael paused for a moment, then came up to me and whispered.

“Think about it again.”

“What’s wrong with you? Go away.”

I beckoned as if chasing away a fly, fearing that Michael would notice my swollen eyes.

Despite my efforts, he kept bringing his face nearer.

“You might have been brainwashed.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?””

“The night before yesterday, the Crown Prince appeared in my dream.”

“…Huh?”

Wait. What does this mean now?

I thought it was a joke, but looking at Michael’s serious expression, it wasn’t.

“What do you mean he came in your dream…”

I carefully opened my mouth while guessing his intentions.

“You, don’t tell me, to the Crown Prince…”

“Are you crazy?!”

Michael jumped out.

Upon seeing this reaction, I was relieved, as I had been worrying that he had learned too much from him.

“…The Crown Prince said this when he appeared in my dream.”

Michael calmed his breathing and continued.

“He said, ‘Oh my God, it’s not this dream.’”

I tilted my head.

If it was the day before yesterday, it was the day the crown prince had come to visit in my dream.

‘That means…’

“Did the Crown Prince get lost trying to find my dream…?”

“Does that mean he appeared in your dreams too?”

Oops, I made a mistake.

Michael wouldn’t have known at all that the crown prince had appeared in my dreams.

I shut my mouth, but it was already too late.

Michael looked around and closed the window, as if he was sure that the crown prince had also appeared in my dream.

The room, where the sound of the wind had flowed, became quiet in an instant.

I didn’t quite understand his secretive attitude.

“Is it something really strange… that the Crown Prince appeared in my dream…?”

It was annoying to have someone step into your dream at will.

However, in real life, Garou didn’t break into my room.

Unlike me, who didn’t take it seriously, Michael looked serious.

“I don’t know much about magic, but I know this much.”

Michael looked at me and tapped his temple.

“Dreams are like your subconscious mind. In short, the Crown Prince had a direct influence on your mind.”

“…Therefore?”

“The Crown Prince wants to marry you.”

He changed the direction of his index finger and poked his collarbone.

“What if he brainwashes you and makes you fall in love with him?”

Silence passed for a while.

I thought of Garou’s face several times and cut it off.

“I don’t love the Crown Prince.”

Far from loving, the more I thought about him, the more I burst into anger.

It would have been more understandable if I had been brainwashed to hate Garou.

“That could happen in the future. If someone says something, please consider it right away.”

I wanted to twist those words even if it’s right, since he said it in such an annoying way.

I put my hands on my waist and stared at Michael.

“It’s kind of weird.”

“What?”

“Why is it your dream that the Crown Prince appeared in, of all the people?”

The night before the crown prince appeared in my dream, I was at the Imperial Palace for the banquet, but Michael stayed in the duke’s castle.

“He went into your dream in the North by mistake? That pure-blooded royalty?”

Since the pure-blooded imperial family members were direct descendants of the World Tree, they were all masters of magic.

It was hard to think that the crown prince of the empire had made a mistake.

“How do I know? I guess that happened by chance.”

“Okay, let’s say that’s right.”

I crossed my arms and raised another question.

“Even so. He tried to brainwash me?”

“I don’t know much about magic, but considering the relationship between the imperial family and the duchy, it’s still…”

“I mean, without Brother Hugo knowing?”

Michael shut his mouth. Still, there were a lot of things that didn’t make sense.

To think that without the knowledge of the archmage, who was acknowledged by the emperor, he was going to use brainwashing magic on his younger sister…

“…I said I don’t know much about magic.”

Michael was nervously waving his blonde hair and took a step closer to me.

“What’s certain is that the Crown Prince is working on something. Hurry up and tell Father.”

“I’ve told him.”

“What?”

I shrugged lightly.

“I’ve told him. That the Crown Prince appeared in my dream.”

Perhaps because it was an unexpected answer, Michael blinked his eyes blankly.

After that, I sighed and continued.

“That’s why it’s weird. If the Crown Prince could come into my dream and brainwash me, Dad…”

I stopped talking.

Even in front of Michael, I called Alan by a familiar title without realizing it.

I made a similar mistake last night.

“…The Duke would surely have gone wild.”

After fixing my words, my voice became lower without realizing it.

Then suddenly Michael grabbed my arm.

“Go to the academy right now.”

His red eyes shone brightly as he growled.

I was startled and stepped back.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Ask Hugo directly. Whether you are brainwashed or not.”

“Why are you so… Let this go for now.”

“If you don’t go, I won’t let it go.”

I pulled back the wrist that was caught, but Michael tightened his grip the more I did that.

His red eyes that filled my vision trembled anxiously.

“That bastard, his smile seemed dangerous. I think he’s going to do something to you!”