I Refuse To Be A Character In A Novel - Chapter 8

 “… Why not?”

Jonas could only stare at his mother in silence.

Although he welcomed his mother’s sudden change towards him, he was still not fully comfortable with her.

His mother always dismissed him when he sought her and would only care about his studies.

She always told him how important it was for him to become a worthy heir to the Argentine dukedom.

He even heard the maids saying that she only viewed her son as her means to keeping the title of the duchess.

Despite being too young to hold contempt for his mother, Jonas leaned more towards his father who loved him and cared for him.

But there was an even more important reason for him to refuse.

“Nanny said it was not good manners to stay too late in someone else’s room.”

To young Jonas, who was raised by his nanny, her word was the law.

‘Ugh, he memorizes everything she says like a textbook’

“I see. Well, it is indeed bad manners, but I am your mother and you can stay in my room as long as you like.”

Jonas tucked his head low and whispered as if telling a secret,

“… Are you perhaps scared of the dark?”

“What? No, yes…well…Would you stay with me if that was the case? ”

“I can stay with you until you fall asleep.”

The child who bluntly refused her a few moments ago, now looked happy to have an excuse to spend more time with his mother.

Jonas hid his intentions and nodded his head, proud to be offering help.

‘How cute.’

“Thank you, that’s very considerate of you.”

The duchess smiled affectionately and patted her son’s head.

Erna no longer felt guilty, she was now thankful to this opportunity that somehow brought them closer.

✰✰✰✰✰

“Jonas, where are you going?”

Recognizing the owner of the voice, Jonas was startled and turned his head in a slow movement.

A mature plump figure, with wavy red hair and honey-brown eyes.

A woman in her late thirties stood at the door blocking Jonas from leaving.

“Nanny… ”

Upon hearing the door to the young master’s bedroom open late at night, Catherine Daria stood from her seat and hurried to his side.

Her room was right next to his so it only took her a few seconds to reach him.

“If you need something, I will get it for you.”

Catherine squatted down and reached out to the child, reminding him with a caring tone.

“That’s not it. I-I’m going to stay with my mother tonight.”

“What?”

Unmindful of her behaviour, Catherine showed open displeasure.

The duchess kept interfering with her education for the young master of Argentine lately.

“I thought I taught you better than to sleep in someone else’s room, if it was a proper thing then I would’ve been sleeping by your side.”

She was more bothered by the fact that Jonas was easily swayed by her.

“I’m sorry, mother asked me to stay with her until she fell asleep.”

Unaware of what he did wrong, Jonas apologized in a small voice, but still made an argument so that she would let him spend the night with his mother.

‘What a pathetic excuse, what is she planning this time?’

Everyone in the mansion knew how much Catherine cared for Jonas and treated him like a mother when his real mother showed no interest in him.

But Erna Argentine was the duchess and she was Jonas’ real mother, Catherine felt even more frustrated that she had no argument to hold against her, who suddenly decided to act like a doting mother.

“ …I understand, but you should refuse next time, alright?”

Jonas quickly nodded his head and slipped away, afraid that she would change her mind.

✰✰✰✰✰

The duke who entered through the already opened door paused.

His wife was clearly smiling.

Only not to him.

A small head peeked from her side.

“Jonas.”

“Father!”

Neither the child nor the duke knew each other would be there.

Zachary could now tell who the sound of the faint laughter he heard before entering belonged to.

“Is Father going to sleep here as well?”

Instead of his son, his eyes turned to his wife.

“What are you doing?”

Erna tilted her head and answered while blinking her eyes innocently.

“Reading a book.”

Zachary let out a sigh at his wife’s childish behavior.

He was not so naive to believe his wife would coincidentally be telling a bedtime story to their son on the same day he would visit her.

She was childish indeed.

She was also shameless.

“You can head to sleep first, Zachary.”

As Erna said with a mischievous smile, the duke’s blank expression subtly changed.

Unless they were an intimate couple, married nobles in Rasmodia called each other by their titles.

Charlotte only addressed him by ‘Duke’ or ‘your grace’, and Erna planned on doing the same, but the title felt wrong and somehow his name came out of her mouth.

“ …What are you reading?”

Zachary, who was about to send his son back to his room, changed his mind when he turned his gaze back to him.

Although he didn’t show it, the child craved his mother’s attention.

“The radiant sword!”

Replied Jonas in an excited tone.

A children’s book portraying a knight’s journey to save his kingdom from monsters.

It was an attractive story to a boy his age, but it was the idea of sleeping between his parents that made Jonas happier.