My Mom Entered a Contract Marriage - Chapter 54

While looking at Altheos with dissatisfaction, Ludia spoke in a hesitant voice.

“Alright, let’s talk about it later. Right now, I should talk to Lily.”

Altheos glanced at Ludia uneasily, before giving a brief nod.

After he left the reception room, Lilica promptly entered.

Ludia gestured for her anxious-looking daughter to come closer and asked.

“You’re a wizard?”

“Yes.”

Lilica replied while lowering her head, and Ludia suppressed her rising emotions.

She spoke slowly and as gently as possible.

“Were you planning to continue keeping this a secret from Mom?”

“……”

No response came.

Even if it was just empty words, she’d hoped that Lilica would say ‘no’, but that wasn’t the case?

Her voice became a bit sharper.

“Why aren’t you answering? Were you planning to keep such an important matter hidden from Mom just because Altheos had forbidden you from talking about it?”

“I’m sorry…”

“If you know that you should be apologetic, then why? You didn’t trust Mom? Is that why?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Ludia grabbed Lilica’s arms with both hands.

“Lily, look at Mom. Look at Mom and tell me. Why did you do that?”

Lilica’s lips trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Don’t cry, just tell me the truth.

She barely managed to hold back the words that were on the verge of escaping from her mouth.

She had tried hard to become a reliable mother. She’d tried.

She believed she had done fairly well.

But was this much still lacking?

At this juncture, how else was she supposed to put more effort?

Was she doing something wrong?

‘No, isn’t it normal for someone to get angry at times like this? Or are they still understanding?’

Am I the only one finding it so difficult to be a mother?

Am I the only one that’s struggling this much?

“I—It’s because I was afraid that something bad might happen if I didn’t keep my promise with His Majesty……”

Lilica barely held in her tears and spoke as though she’d read her mother’s thoughts.

“I’m sorry, I was wrong.”

Yes, she was in the wrong.

No, was she in the right?

She wished that someone could tell her the right answer.

Ludia took a deep breath and embraced Lilica tenderly.

“Mom was worried about Lily. If something like this was kept a secret, I wouldn’t know if some bad people said nasty things to Lily later on.”

“Yes, I was wrong.”

“It’s commendable that you wanted to keep your promise. Did His Majesty use this to ask Lily for something, or order you to do anything?”

“No. He didn’t ask me any of that. He just taught me magic so that I could use it properly. He also said that I shouldn’t use it arbitrarily, and that I should never reveal it to others.”

“I see.”

Ludia tightened her hold on Lilica.

“I wish that Lily would trust and rely on Mom a little more. Mom too, Mom is also trying my best, you know? Even if I’m lacking, even then. Let’s discuss such things together. Hmm?”

Lilica felt the tears welling up but managed to speak softly.

“Yes, I… I just want Mother to be happy.”

Ludia couldn’t hold back her tears at her murmur.

“Lily, Mom is very happy. Because Lily is here.”

“I’m also happy because of Mother. Hic, from now on, I’ll tell you everything.”

“Mm. I’m sorry for getting angry.”

The mother and daughter pair wept while hugging each other tightly.

After a while, Ludia took out a handkerchief and wiped Lilica’s face first.

She also wiped away her tears.

What a blissful thing it is, to be able to face each other and laugh after crying.

Thinking that, Ludia looked at her daughter’s glowing face.

Ludia couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

“Does Mom look like a mess after crying?”

“No!”

Startled, Lilica said.

“You’re the world’s most beautiful person.”

“You’re the world’s loveliest person too.”

Ludia embraced her daughter once again and then said.

“His Majesty was right. It’s better to keep it a secret that you’re a wizard. It’s a good idea to deceive others by pretending to be using an artifact.”

There was nothing better than being able to protect herself with magic.

“Also.”

And her own return must have been because of Lilica.

Lilica had already died before Ludia’s death.

So her wish must have been for Ludia—for herself.

Even Lilica’s final wish wasn’t for her own self.

What kind of wish did her daughter make?

As Lilica stood in front of the gallows and made eye contact with her.

‘My heart aches.’

To think that despite being given a second chance, she still didn’t know if she was being a proper mother.

Ludia let out a wry smile.

“Lilica.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“I love you.”

No matter what happens.

No matter what comes their way.

No matter what the situation is.

At those softly whispered words, Ludia watched as her daughter’s face turn red and her sparkling eyes were filled with happiness.

And she listened closely to her daughter’s soft whisper.

“I love you too.”

* * *

Fjord paused while he was climbing up the stairs.

‘The Marquis of Sandar?’

Although it was just a glimpse of his silhouette, he couldn’t help but notice.

The marquis vanished quickly amongst the crowd, disguised thoroughly, but Fjord’s eyes were rather sharp.

‘Why is Sandar here? Did something happen?’

Fjord organised his thoughts as he went up to his room.

With the collapse of the Southern Union, Sandar must have faced some troubling times, but it was rather relieving in many ways.

As all the useless trash was swept away.

There was news that Sandar’s collateral lines had swallowed up several fragmented territories.

Of course, the South was currently in turmoil thanks to that…

‘But Barat and Sandar?’

The flowers and snakes, huh.

He needed to investigate further into this.

When Fjord entered his room, an attendant brought a letter on a silver tray.

The others removed his coat silently.

The servants of the Barat duchy were scarce with their words.

Fjord glanced briefly at the letters and a faint smile appeared on his face.

A letter came from the Imperial family, while the other came from Lilica.

Fjord stopped the hands from changing his clothes into indoor ones and picked up the letters.

‘Oh, so it’s an invitation to the hunting festival.’

Without reading the letter from the palace, Fjord swiftly turned his attention to Lirika’s letter.

Invitation to the Raspberry Alliance!

Fjord’s eyes widened as he read the first sentence of the letter and as he continued reading, he chuckled.

Recruiting members of the alliance to harvest and cook raspberries together.

Those that aren’t afraid to pick raspberries themselves.

Those that are able to cook the raspberries they’d picked together.

Those that are able to share and enjoy the cooked raspberries.

Those that are able to acknowledge and respect their fellow alliance members.

Those that are able to keep everything a secret.

If you wish to join the alliance, please send a reply.

At the bottom, there were the drawings of two intersecting keys and raspberries that seemed to be personally drawn.

Fjord thought he should reply immediately.

He could roughly guess who’d be included in the alliance.

Even if Atil would be quite furious, he couldn’t miss this opportunity.

“Young Master.”

The attendant approached quietly and whispered softly.

“The duke is calling for you.”

Fjord put the letter down and nodded.

The study was splendid as always.

Despite the heavy downpour outside the window, the study was rather quiet.

As usual, he was met with the Duke of Barat’s back.

Fjord waited for her to bring up the topic.

“You received a letter from the princess?”

“Yes.”

“Stop meddling in trivial matters now. It’s about time for you to pay attention to the apparent matters.”

“……”

Fjord remained silent.

The Duke of Barat turned around when she didn’t get a reply.

“Fjord, don’t ruin this mother’s expectations.”

Fjord answered with the same silence as before.

The duke chuckled.

“I heard that you’d face a rebellious phase when raising a son. I thought it wouldn’t happen to my child. Very well, follow me.”

Her atmosphere was gentler than expected, but Fjord didn’t let his guard down.

The duke amused herself by shattering small expectations.

The duke pulled a candlestick, causing the bookshelf to turn and reveal a narrow passage. She took the lead and entered.

Fjord followed behind her.

He knew where exactly this path would lead.

A cold smile rose from the depths of his heart.

Does everyone know what lay within the grandiose Barat mansion’s basement?

Cold iron beds and restraints, as well as all sorts of drugs.

Even now, Fjord felt suffocated when he entered the unlit and confined space.

But he was no longer the young boy that trembled fearfully when he was brought here and bound onto the bed.

Despite that, he could only ball his sweaty palms into fists.

The fear that had been instilled into him since he was young caused him to waver.

“It’s your first time here, isn’t it?”

Fjord lifted his head in surprise at the Duke’s words.

At the end of the seemingly endless dark pathway, something was manipulated, and a new path opened.

It was a path that led even deeper.

It felt like he wouldn’t ever come back if he entered it.

Fjord stole a glance at the Duke’s face before stepping inside.

He was greeted with pained groans upon entering.

He spotted dark silhouettes beyond the densely weaved iron bars.

Fjord’s breath caught in his throat the moment he realised what they were.

His entire body trembled.

The duke didn’t bother shining a dim light through the window bars.

She spoke.

“Introduce yourself to your brothers.”

“!!”

Fjord was astonished.

He barely managed to hold back his rising nausea.

“All of them are failed pieces. You’ve only here because of their sacrifices, Fjord.

Her voice was filled with amusement.

Fjord felt the floor beneath him swaying.

“Words can’t express my joy when you finally appeared. A rebellious phase, isn’t it? If you wish to become like those failures.”

Her whispering voice echoed loudly in the basement.

Amidst the sounds of agony-filled sobs and groans, the duke’s voice was crystal clear.

“What do you think will happen to you if your princess learns of this fact? Will that lowlife be able to accept you? Fjord, my masterpiece. You, in your essence, are the same as them.”

The duke dragged him along.

Fjord was unable to resist.

He didn’t have any strength left in his body.

The duke pushed Fjord against the bars and grinned.

“Take a good look. You should be grateful to me. If you’re curious about what’ll happen if you stop taking that medicine, rebel as much as you want.”

Her hand gently ruffled Fjord’s hair.

“That kind of suffering is required for you. The masterpiece I am proud of.”

That tender voice sent shivers down Fjord’s spine.

He couldn’t breathe.

“Think about it as much as you want.”

The sound of the Duke of Barat moving away reached his ears. The heavy door was closed.

Within such a narrow space, only the agony-filled sounds remained and grew in volume.

Fjord held the iron bars tightly with both hands. Otherwise, it felt like he might collapse.

The iron bars began to freeze from the location he was grasping.

A white condensation was breathed out.

Before the tears that flowed down his cheeks could touch the ground, they froze and shattered into pieces.

Silence filled the underground prison now. There weren’t any sounds of pain anymore.

Even his breaths were frozen.

An icy silence lingered.

‘Even when it’s so cold…’

Fjord thought dazedly.

Even in such a freezing place, his body felt like it was burning.

His blood boiled so hot that it was about to incinerate his entire body.

Would fire surface instead of condensation when he opened his mouth?

Pain cannot become his atonement.

However.

However.

“Don’t be shattered into pieces.”

A pair of bright blue eyes.

The moment he thought of them, the prison was emptied.

Only powdery snow-like things floated in the air gently.

* * *

It was a heavy downpour, typical of midsummer.

Lilica was sitting on the porch of the secret garden’s cabin, enjoying a rare moment of rest.

Her relationship with her mother seems to have grown closer, and the number of invitations she received had decreased due to the rainy season.

Thanks to that, she had time to write the letter for the ‘Raspberry Alliance’.

‘How many times have I rewritten this?’

Her fingers still hurt.

She sat on the porch’s rocking chair and gazed absentmindedly at the falling raindrops.

It was a pleasant experience, watching the rain pour while in a safe and warm location.

‘Because the roof will always leak when it rains.’

She didn’t mind getting wet, but it would be a big problem if the bedding or furniture was soaked.

Why were these bygone memories so vivid in her mind?

“Your Highness.”

Brynn offered her a warm cup of milk tea.

Lilica accepted the cup with a smile.

“Thank you, Brynn.”

“Please don’t mention it, Your Highness.”

“What about Lauv?”

She asked, and Lauv, who was guarding the entrance, nodded his head.

“I’m fine, Milady.”

After swearing allegiance to her, Lauv referred to her as ‘Milady’.

It was quite embarrassing to be called that way since it was an elevating honorific used for masters, but she had no choice but to go with ‘Milady’ when he asked if he should call her ‘Master’.

The discordant smile, tone and mannerisms were completely gone now.

In short, he became even more stoic than he’d originally been.

He remained silent barring from necessary words, and he didn’t even offer a friendly smile.

And although it felt like they were performing the Silence Ritual when they were together, the atmosphere was much more comfortable and gentle.

Lilica preferred that much more.

Moreover, his expressions were more natural when they were together.

“It would be nice if we could all drink together.”

Since it was just the three of them today.

Brynn nodded.

“It’s a rare invitation from Your Highness, why don’t we join her.”

Hearing Brynn’s gentle words, Lauv looked at her expressionlessly.

Brynn understood what that meant. It was a look of caution.

Brynn’s eyes narrowed.

‘Huh?’

In that instant, Lilica felt a familiar sensation.

‘It feels like someone is calling me…’

It felt similar to a dream.

She leaned forward in the rocking chair, causing her toes to land on the ground.

‘Ah, as I’d thought.’

She felt a pulling sensation, like someone was calling out for her.

As she lifted up her cup and got up from her seat, she glanced at Lauv.

He was staring intensely in a single direction, like a hunting dog that heard a bird call.

Suddenly, his pupils widened like those of a beast.

Lilica also turned her gaze in the direction he was looking at.

“Ah!”

The moment she spotted the shimmering silver beyond the raspberry bushes, she immediately recognized who it was.

“Lauv!”

Lilica handed the cup to Lauv, who approached her cautiously.

“Milady.”

“Princess!”

“I’m fine. Follow me from a distance!”

Lilica grabbed an umbrella and rushed into the rain.

Actually, she just wanted to tell them not to follow her, but she knew that they wouldn’t accept that.

‘But it seems like I have to go by myself.”

For some reason, her instincts were screaming that to her.

Fjord wasn’t beyond the thicket of wild raspberries.

She ran towards the tree where Fjord was standing beneath instead.

It seemed like he was completely drenched in the rain.

When did he arrive?

How did he get in?

Such questions arose briefly before disappearing.

* * *