I Became The Stepmother Of An Irrevocable Dark Family - Chapter 32

“When did I cry?”

“You can be honest with your feelings. Honestly, you wanted to get out of this place, right?”

“…..”

“But why are you so sad now? Isn’t it something that makes you happy?”

His words hit the spot. I flinched for a moment, but I soon calmed down.

“That’s right. I wanted to get out of here. So tell me why? Why can’t I leave this place?”

Instead, I asked him back.

“Do you love the child?”

“I hope the child won’t get hurt.”

“What about the duke?”

“I hate him the most in the world.”

“Ah.”

At that one word, he seemed a little taken aback.

“Don’t you think he has a good side even a little?”

“Absolutely not. As a man and as a father, he’s the worst. If we were lost on an uninhabited island and he was the only man there, I wouldn’t choose him.”

When I said that, Luca’s eyes were filled with awkwardness. Rather, he looked hurt as if he had become the duke himself.

So I had no choice but to be suspicious of his question.

“What’s with that look?”

“Nothing. Don’t hate him too much.”

“It’s like you’re his spokesperson.”

“It’s nothing like that. I’m just a person who quite understands his mind.”

With a grin, he took my hand and walked slowly.

“Leona.”

He, who always drew the line by calling me Ms. Leona, spoke sweetly this time.

“Leona. Look at me. If you want to go back, let’s go back. I’ll help you.”

“Can you go and tell him that I’m a good person? Please don’t throw me out. Can you ask him that instead?”

“No. He’s already looking for you.”

“…He’s looking for me?”

I was unable to discern his word, so I stopped my stride.

“From the day you left, he regretted it.”

“…..”

“From that day on. But he had no courage to search for you. That person is like that. He’s too weak. He doesn’t even know his own feelings.”

“That can’t be true. Are you trying to comfort me? I feel bad if that was the case…”

“No, if you can’t believe what I’m saying, go where you used to live. I’ll take you there.”

Rather, it was more believable to say that Rere suddenly became a kind child.

I couldn’t believe that he regretted it. But Luca was determined and held my hand.

“Let’s go first. I promise I’ll let you run away then.”

“……”

“You don’t like that either?”

It’s only a matter of letting go of his hand, but strangely, I couldn’t let it go.

“This is just…a confirmation, right? Not because of something else?”

“Of course.”

I finally agreed to follow him. On the way, Luca led me without saying a word.

His sweet and kind eyes were only looking at me.

After we walked for a long time, I was surprised that we arrived at Selen Street, the place where Leona lived before going to the Duke’s mansion.

“Your daughter is missing, but how come her own family isn’t looking for her?”

Duke Ian Petri, who was screaming out loud, was really in front of the house. It wasn’t just that. Even the knights were looking around.

I was surprised when I reached across the street through the alley.

“…So it was real.”

“Yes.”

He, who seemed to be laughing, pushed me closer to the scene. Thanks to this, I could hear the Duke’s voice clearly.

The more he screamed, the more flustered the knights around the duke became.

It wasn’t a crowded street, but that disturbance was enough to attract the merchants and residents.

“Tell me! Where is she?”

“Your Excellency, we don’t even know that she was gone.”

Perhaps he felt frustrated by his nonsense, the Duke got off from his horse and threatened Leona’s father with a murderous intent.

“You don’t know? Then where did she go? Just how did her family treat her to the point she didn’t even return home?”

“Th…That… Leona is originally an eccentric child, so…”

“Eccentric? Eccentric?!”

As if he couldn’t control his anger, the Duke punched the door in front of him. Thanks to this, the rickety door was broken in an instant.

“Don’t talk nonsense and find her now. Because she’s your family. Find her!”

“But we…don’t know her whereabouts…”

“That’s right.”

“If you don’t know, then who else knows? There must be a friend she’s close to!”

“That’s….”

Not only did Leona’s father, but also her mother and sister scratched their heads in confusion.

Because for them, Leona was just their money maker. Such a response was natural because they didn’t even care about how she was doing.

“Are you saying that a family member doesn’t know the whereabouts of their own daughter and sister?”

Oh my god.

Someone would think my family kicked me out when it was him who kicked me out.

I laughed despondently as I watched this ridiculous situation play out.

Did you think I would return? That’s funny.

I turned my back at such a person.

“Thank you for showing me a good spectacle before I leave.”

Perhaps because it was such an unexpected remark, Luca looked surprised.

“Are you going to leave? Even after seeing that?”

“Of course. Why should I come back after seeing him like that once?”

“That’s true, but…”

My step was firm.

I only left the place because I wanted the best for Rere.

All of this because of that guy.

I was the one who left the child even though I know for sure what kind of wound I would inflict on the child.

But you are looking for me now? Do you have a conscience?

As if that wasn’t enough, you even pretended to care about me in front of others?!

There was no hypocrite like him.

I put an expression as if I couldn’t fathom this situation, then walked past Luca casually.

“Looking at the mess, I think I’m just going to stay hidden for a while. Before it’s going to be harder to get out of there.”

The inn I’ve been staying at was not bad, so I should stay there for another month.

With that in mind, I tried to go back to the inn. But Luca held my arm gently.

“Didn’t you want to go back?”

“Where?”

I tossed his arm harshly.

“Didn’t you want to go back to the Duchy?’

“Luca, were you here to take me there? I thought you’re not going to do that.”

His body flinched at my sharp voice. When his always relaxed demeanor suddenly became disoriented, it made me even more bewildered.

“I thought you were on my side when I heard how sweetly you spoke, but sadly, you’re not. It doesn’t matter now. I’ve already made up my mind. Luca, unfortunately, you won’t be able to achieve what you want. I don’t want to go back at all. There’s no need to do what that guy wants.”

“You don’t have to do what he wants. He’s being punished for what he did. But you. Is that really how you feel?”

“…That’s funny. You’re on his side, aren’t you? I’m calling someone like you a hypocrite.”

I couldn’t understand him at all.

First, he pretended to be there for me, and now, he told me to go back.

It was then.

After silently looking at me, he pulled my head toward his body.

“What are you doing!”

“You can disappear from this place if you want. You can go to a very far country. I’ll do that for you. So that the Duke will never find you again.”

It was when I was going to mock him for his nonsense that my vision of looking up at him quickly changed to a scenery. Besides that, the wind that blew a while ago suddenly smelled like salt.

Like an ocean.

“Do you believe me now? I’m really worried for you.”

Only then did he let go of my head that he was holding. Then I could see the harbor.

“He-Here is…”

“You can leave now. This is a port village at the farthest end of the empire. It looks small, but all the empire’s commodities get out from here.”

“…..”

“It’s a place that allows people to come and go. So you can get on a ship even if you don’t have a clear identity.”

My eyes were busy looking around.

Was this a dream?

What’s wrong with this guy?

Was he really letting me go?

Are you sure you didn’t come here to get me back to the Duke?

I thought he manipulated my vision with magic, but thanks to someone who passed by us, I could notice that this was not a dream, but a reality.

“Even the Duke hasn’t come here yet. This is a place that would take one to arrive in three days by carriage. He won’t think you’d come all the way here.”

“Are you really letting me go?”

“Of course. I want you to be happy, Leona.”

Why?

Why are you doing this to me? You’re on his side, aren’t you?

But he took a step back and bowed his head to me, stroking my head with his big hand.

“But Leona. Are you really happy with this? Is leaving the duchy really what makes you happy?”

“Of course…”

Actually, I wanted to get out of there. If I was next to Rebecca, I would be crippled.

Even if I didn’t die, I would be unable to move. So I hated it. But my heart felt heavy. My heart throbbed so hard for some unknown reason.

“Then go. You can leave. If it makes Leona happy.”

His hand that held my hand firmly, finally let go of me.

He said goodbye and told me to take care.

He didn’t speak, but all those words leaked out from his eyes.

Now all I had to do was let everything go and escape comfortably.

I could just live by enjoying things that this body’s owner, Leona, had not enjoyed. I had money, and I could leave right away with the ship in front of me.

I got a hold of everything, but my final decision was foolish.

My hand caught his arm when he was about to leave.

“Leona?”