Nightmare Came to The Place I Escaped - Chapter 34

[Note From Baset: I made a mistake at the end of chapter 33. The young man introduced wasn’t Duke Oates, but Dy*e Oates. Yes, that’s how his name was in the raws. I decided to change the name to Mike. Yue went back and modified chapter 33 to reflect the change. Sorry for the mistake.]

 

“My father wanted to come, but he couldn’t come with me because something suddenly happened. He was quite disappointed. More importantly, Rachel, how is she?”

 

Ian had been nodding at Mike Oates’ story, hesitated for a while, then finally spoke.

 

“She doesn’t know anything yet.”

“What? About what?”

“She doesn’t know that she’s an Oates.”

“But you said that she was staying at the Oates family residence. I thought Your Majesty had already told her.”

 

Mike frowned as if he couldn’t understand.

 

“I was going to, but I couldn’t.”

 

He was going to, but couldn’t. Mike tried to think about what Ian’s words meant, and soon opened his mouth.

 

“Wouldn’t it be better for Your Majesty to bring it up instead of me? It’ll be very embarrassing if I’m the first one to say it.”

“No. I want you to tell her.”

“What? No, why…”

“Please.”

“…Alright. Your Majesty.”

 

Mike nodded countless times at Ian’s request.

 

“Thank you. How long will you stay in the capital city?”

“I think I’ll stay until the victory banquet is over.”

 

Mike looked to Ian, who nodded silently, then he awkwardly averted his gaze.

 

“I’ll visit you tonight at the Duke’s residence. You must be tired after traveling such a long way, so you should rest. I’ll tell you the rest of the story then.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Then, I’ll take my leave.”

 

When the Emperor said he could leave his seat, Mike once again bowed to him courtesy.

 

***

 

“My Lady.”

“I’m home.”

 

Rachel thanked the butler for opening the door to the carriage.

 

“Was your long trip at least comfortable?”

“Yes.”

 

As the butler said, Rachel traveled so comfortably that she couldn’t have been any more comfortable than that, but she was a little tired because she had to ride the carriage for a long time.

 

“Young Master Mike is waiting for you.”

“…What?”

 

At the butler’s subsequent words, Rachel’s slightly slackened eyes tightened.

 

“The Young Master?”

“If you wait in the drawing room, I will bring him to you.”

 

The butler nodded slightly, and opened the door to the mansion for Rachel.

 

Then he went up the stairs.

 

“No, that…”

 

Without explaining who the Young Master was.

 

Rachel bit her lip nervously.

 

Who was the Young Master? After coming to the capital, she hadn’t interacted regularly with anyone other than Ian and the servants of this mansion. Rachel couldn’t understand who would’ve come to visit her.

 

Did Ian know that someone had come to visit her?

 

Although the situation was a bit puzzling, Rachel did as the butler said and moved to the waiting room.

 

Because the butler told her to wait in the drawing room.

 

“Mike?”

 

What was going on?

 

After coming to the capital, she’d only met Ian, the servants here, and Countess Achille.

 

Young Master, she hadn’t heard anything about him.

 

“Young Master.”

 

Rachel blankly mimicked the butler’s words. That didn’t help her from knowing anything about it, though.

 

Come to think of it, the servants here called her a lady.

 

Tick Tick 

 

A quiet drawing room.

 

Only the sound of the second hand of the clock was heard.

 

Knock Knock

 

After a long time, the butler knocked on the drawing room door from outside.

 

“My Lady, the Young Master is here.”

 

Rachel quickly stood up at the butler’s words.

 

The door opened slowly, and a blond man walked into the drawing room.

 

Thud Thud

 

Dark blond, cut short, and light blue eyes. Rachel couldn’t help but blink slowly at the smile that seemed awkward in the current situation.

 

Rachel thought idly of how much better it would have been had that gesture been directed at her.

 

Click

 

The butler bowed his head, and closed the drawing room door.

 

“Um…”

 

Mike’s eyes flicked around awkwardly.

 

He wasn’t sure what to do, but Rachel quickly dropped her gaze at the thought that he shouldn’t be a lower rank than her.

 

“I’m Mike Oates.”

 

Mike hesitated for a moment. He struggled to speak to the younger sister he’d gained two years ago.

 

But today was the first time he’d met Rachel.

 

Besides that, Rachel didn’t know anything about it. He was at a loss as to where to begin to explain the situation, and he let out a small sigh.

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Young Master Oates.”

 

She’d remembered who he was only then. She’d seen him a few times in her previous life.

 

“I’m Rachel.”

“Yeah, Rachel.”

 

Her name briefly left his mouth.

 

Once again, silence fell over them.

 

“Rachel, I have something to say. Do you want to sit first?”

 

Mike recommended Rachel sit down, then he sat in front of her.

 

“I don’t know where to start explaining this.”

 

Mike took a glance at Rachel. Dark brown hair, and blue-green eyes. Shoulders that were tense, as if she was uncomfortable with the unfamiliar situation.

 

Mike swallowed his sigh, and opened his mouth.

 

“First of all, this is the Oates residence. Did you know that?”

“No, I didn’t know that.”

 

Rachel shook her head slightly at Mike’s friendly question.

 

“…Yeah, you really don’t know anything. First of all, the Oates family adopted a child two years ago.”

“…Okay.”

 

Mike smiled quietly as if he was troubled.

 

“It was you.”

“…What?”

 

Rachel, who was quietly listening to Mike, frowned at that. As if she couldn’t understand.

 

“You’re Rachel Oates.”

“What do you mean? I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
“Duke Oates put you into our family register two years ago.”

“I’m an Oates?”

 

Mike nodded.

 

“But why me?”

 

Rachel’s eyes shook more finely than when she first saw Mike. She’d never even met the Duke of Oates.

 

But that didn’t mean it was related to Mike. It would’ve been the same for them.

 

She just couldn’t believe that they’d let someone join their family when they didn’t even know what they looked like. A child of unknown status was allowed to join a noble family.

 

However, that question soon diminished. That was because Ian came to mind.

 

She was sure he’d planned this.

 

“That’s why the people here call me ‘My Lady’?”

“Yes, because you’re Rachel Oates now.”

 

It’s been a while.

 

After a long time, Rachel opened her mouth. Mike nodded roughly, then closed his mouth tightly again. As if to give her a moment to get over her confused thoughts.

 

“….”

 

Ian Dakendov, and Duke Oates.

 

She didn’t know what was said between them, but it seemed that the decision had already been made.

 

It was probably Ian’s plan, and Duke Oates acted according to his plan.

 

“Then what should I do from now on?”

“Huh?”

 

When Rachel spoke again, Mike frowned.

 

“What should I do in the future?”

 

Mike blinked quickly, as if he was confused by Rachel, who’d asked that question calmly.

 

The status of Young Lady was acquired overnight, but Rachel didn’t seem to enjoy that fact at all. However, she didn’t seem to be angry about being unaware of that information.

 

She just looked a little surprised. That was all.

 

It was an incomprehensible reaction to him.

 

Was she supposed to be calm? Rachel accepted the situation so quickly that he was worried that she might be confused.

 

“Well, what do you want to do?”

“….?”

“Now that you’ve become a young lady, what do you want to do?”
“I… I don’t know.”

 

Rachel couldn’t figure out what Mike wanted or why he asked her that.

 

She shook her head slowly at Mike’s question.

 

“You don’t hate being a young lady, do you? You don’t hate being a family with us, do you?”

 

Family.

 

Rachel flinced, then nodded quietly.

 

“Is that a good thing?”

 

Again, Rachel gave a small nod. Judging from her reaction, it didn’t seem to be a good thing.

 

She was as incomprehensible as the Emperor.

 

“You don’t have to do anything. You can do whatever you want.”
“Oh, okay.”
“If you’ve decided to accept this situation, then let’s sort out our nicknames first. Something like brother, big brother, Mike. You can call me whatever you want.”

“…Okay.”
“I’ll call you Rachel. Is that okay?”

“Yes.”

 

Rachel nodded.

 

“The nobles are very curious about you.”
“About me?”

“It’s been two years since you joined the family, but you didn’t show your face once. So, it was something worth being curious about.”

 

Mike sighed softly.

 

“Maybe you should go to the victory banquet too.”

 

Rachel nodded again.

 

“You’ll meet our father around that time too. Father wanted to come with me, but I came alone because a problem arose with a business partner.”

 

Rachel listened quietly while Mike held her hand. The words he brought up were all difficult things.

 

“Father really wanted to meet you.”

 

Rachel couldn’t bear Mike’s words anymore, and bowed her head. Why the heck did Ian plan this? As expected, he was a person who she didn’t understand at all.

 

“I wanted to meet you too.”

 

At Mike’s words, Rachel couldn’t help but raise her head and look at him for a moment.

 

Rachel couldn’t understand why he was saying this to her. Why was he saying he wanted to meet her when he didn’t even know her?

 

“I was worried that you might not like me. Still, it’s a relief. I don’t think I hate it.”

“….”

“I haven’t eaten yet. Shall we go eat together?”

 

Rachel nodded slightly at the brightly smiling Mike.

 

She didn’t know if this was a lie, the man in front of her showed her courtesy, and she felt like she could breathe.

 

***