Nightmare Came to The Place I Escaped - Chapter 75

“Then let’s go now.”

 

The Duke rushed a little, thinking that the time he could spend with Rachel was limited.

 

“Father, Rachel. Have a good time, then come back.”

 

Starting with Mike, who was at the front door to meet Rachel and the Duke, she was addressed by the butler and Hana as well.

 

Rachel smiled a little at the concern, and interest they had for her.

 

Her mind was still confused, but she thought it was a good thing she had come here. Because being with them didn’t make her feel so lonely and sad.

 

***

 

“Rachel, I can’t believe the day has come when I can introduce you to our estate.”

 

The Duke held out his hand with a pleasant smile.

 

“This is my favorite place for Mike and I. It’s quiet and private, so I always come here when I have a lot on my mind.”

 

Rachel looked around, as she nodded at the Duke’s words.

 

Tall trees, large lakes, and the occasional sound of birds. Rachel understood immediately why they liked this place.

 

“Huh? What is that?”

 

Rachel asked after she looked around, and noticed a burnt branch on the ground.

 

“Oh, sometimes children of the territory play at this lake, but they must have come and gone.”

 

The Duke looked at the burned firewood Rachel had pointed at, and smiled quietly.

 

“What do the kids do for fun?”

“In summer, they go to the lake and play in the water; in winter, they pull sleds. Sometimes, I’ve seen them eating fish.”

 

The Duke seemed happy as he said this.

 

Rachel felt somewhat relieved by the Duke’s characteristic gentle smile.

 

“But I heard that this place is Father’s private property.”

“Well, yes.”

 

The Duke, who was nodding quietly, noticed Rachel’s question and opened his mouth again.

 

“The children are sneaking in. It seems that this is their own secret place.”

“Oh, I see.”

 

Thinking of the children secretly entering his property and eating fish, the Duke seemed happy rather than offended.

 

“Does Father like children?”

“I love their unique innocence.”

 

Rachel glanced at the Duke, then looked away.

 

The Duke she saw was a loving person. He was a person who was willing to give up what he had to others.

 

Did her father know that she ran away from Ian?

 

Even if Ian and her separated, would the Duke still walk with her?

 

He was a very loving and kind person, so it might not change.

 

“Well, Father.”

 

Rachel didn’t want to talk about Ian. Not only was it difficult to define and explain her relationship with him, but all the memories related to him were heartbreaking.

 

“You may have already heard, but I came here to avoid His Majesty.”

“I heard roughly that there was a problem with the Emperor.”

“Doesn’t it matter to you, Father? I mean…”

“Can you tell me in detail what happened?”

 

Rachel lowered her gaze at the Duke’s question.

She wasn’t sure where to begin so that the Duke could understand her relationship with His Majesty.

 

“Just, I don’t like His Majesty.”

 

Rachel felt like she was going to burst into tears, so she ended the conversation in a hurry.

 

She just hated it without any other explanation or reason. For some reason, Rachel felt like she was acting like a stubborn and erratic child.

 

In reality, Rachel knew that because of her other people might be harmed.

 

She didn’t know if she could depend on Mike and the Duke. Still, if it was the Duke, she thought Mike would help her too. For some reason, it felt like they could protect her from Ian.

 

“His Majesty has deceived me. I don’t want to be by his side anymore.”

 

Rachel wanted to lean on them even though she knew it was a selfish act that wouldn’t repay the kindness that they’d given her.

 

“So, Father, please hide me.”

 

As Rache was shedding her tears, the Duke patted her back quietly. He looked at Rachel, who couldn’t even cry comfortably because of the burden on her, as her heart was crushed with sadness.

 

“I don’t want to cause any harm to Father and Brother, but I actually have no one to lean on unless it’s Father. That’s what I’m trying to say.”

“Rachel, of course you can come to me. You should come to me.”

 

The Duke embraced Rachel.

 

He seemed to know what his little girl was so worried about.

 

She was worried that they would be harmed for no reason because of her.

 

As she left His Majesty and came to him, the Duke gave a small sigh at the fact that Rachel couldn’t let go of her worry even on the road.

 

He didn’t know exactly what happened between the two, but he wanted to do what Rachel wanted first.

 

There must be a good reason why such a worried and thoughtful child left His Majesty behind.

 

Ian Dakendov.

 

It seemed that the reason Ian had asked the Duke to be Rachel’s family was for something like today.

 

No matter how much the Emperor liked Rachel, their relationship couldn’t have been equal in Rachel’s mind.

 

Maybe it was because Ian wanted to leave Rachel the option to leave him.

 

He didn’t know what the heck he’d done to make this child cry, but Ian Dakendov still seemed to love Rachel, maybe more than himself.

 

Perhaps that’s why the Duke felt sorry for Rachel, who was crying and hating Ian, but in the corner of his heart, he felt sorry for those who were broken.

 

“Rachel, for as long as you want. If you need my help, you don’t have to worry, I’ll be there for you. Everything was my choice, so don’t be sorry. You don’t have to carry my choices on your shoulders.”

 

Rachel’s cry grew louder as if she could understand the Duke’s words.

 

The Duke sighed once more at the desperate hand that gripped his shirt.

 

Seeing Rachel crying sadly, who had been trying so hard to smile after coming to the Duchy. The Duke seemed to know at least a little bit of the sadness and sorrow that she had been trying to handle alone so as not to worry him, and the feelings that weighed heavily on her.

 

“So you just worry about yourself, and lean back comfortably.”

 

The Duke patted Rachel’s small shoulder slowly.

 

He hoped that Rachel would feel at ease and be able to rely on him.

 

***

 

It was evening before darkness had completely fallen. Dressed in a uniform for the upcoming banquet, Ian was sitting at his desk with a document in one hand and with his head raised.

 

Even though he had to go to a banquet soon, he still remained in his office working.

 

“Your Majesty.”

 

Harmond, who had been waiting for Ian, cautiously called him.

 

At that moment, Ian put the papers in his hand down, nodded and got up from his seat.

 

At first glance, it looked like nothing was out of the ordinary, but Harmond knew just how crazy he was now.

 

On the day of the Hunting competition, Ian looked a bit uneasy. Within a few days, the expression on his face had disappeared.

 

Around that time, he heard that Rachel and Mike had returned to the Oates estate.

 

Since then, Ian has been stuck in his office every day.

 

No matter how much he looked at it, it was clear that something had happened with Lady Oates.

 

Thump Thump

 

His atmosphere, which had become quite generous after meeting Lady Oates, froze again. Harmond often clicked his tongue secretly when he looked at Ian smiling for no reason, but looking back on it, it had been a good thing.

 

“….”

 

Ian paused before entering the banquet hall.

 

“Your Majesty, is it because of Lady Oates?”

“…What?”

“I haven’t heard that the lady has returned to the capital.”

 

Ian stared at Harmond for a moment.

 

However, Ian soon turned his eyes away with a sigh, as if he realized that his anger was useless.

 

“…Why don’t you just go and see her?”

 

Harmond whispered that quietly before the servant opened the door.

 

Then he waited for Ian to walk into the venue with his blank face, as if Harmond hadn’t said anything.

 

Ian looked at Harmond for a moment, then he moved to the people in the hall that were waiting for him.

 

Go see Rachel.

 

Ian knew better than anyone that he couldn’t do that.

 

Rachel had left him again. She’d run away from him to the Duke of Oates, and nowhere else.

 

That caring child, who didn’t want to harm others, hid behind the Duke to avoid him. That’s how much she wanted to leave him.

 

No matter how much he’d changed, it was just his greed. Regardless of what he did, Rachel had already suffered a lot because of him and that’s why she’d left again.

 

Everything was his desire.

 

Again, he shook the child purely out of his own greed.

 

When he visited Rachel again, called her to the capital and enrolled her in the ducal family, Rachel’s opinion was nowhere to be found, nor her consent.

 

To avoid him then and now, to hide from him, to pull herself out of his life altogether. That would be what Rachel would want.

 

So she left just like that, like someone he would never see again.

 

But if he visited that girl again.

 

Would that change anything?

 

Would he be able to ask for Rachel’s forgiveness? Would Rachel forgive him?

 

Ian knew very well that Rachel would no longer stay with the Duke of Oates if he went there.

 

He didn’t want to kick Rachel out again.

 

There was nothing more he could do.

 

Ian blinked slowly again as if he had given up.

 

Funny, even though he knew better than anyone else that it wouldn’t happen, when the doors opened, Ian wanted Rachel to be at this banquet hall.

 

Even though he knew it was meaningless, he sat on the throne on the podium and looked around the venue.

 

***