“Huh? Hiccup!”
Although I was the one who bumped into Valdwin first, it was the first time in my life that Valdwin kissed me first.
… I am one successful fan.
Valdwin grinned as I stared at him blankly.
“You stopped crying,” Valdwin murmured.
Then my mother burst into laughter as she patted me on my back, “Aigoo, you’re just like cute babies~”
It must have looked cute when two cute little girls were kissing. Laughing at Valdwin and I, Mom stood up with me beside her.
“Uwaaaah!”
“Let’s go wash up, now.”
“Mom, I hate you!”
It was the most rebellious thing I could do now. My mother rubbed my head as I struggled.
“I also really hate you. Come here Didi, I also need to wash your face again.”
My mother sighed as if she was at a loss.
Hehe, I didn’t mean to do that, but it seems like kids this age were like this. Maybe it was because I grew up (here) not having any problems? I don’t even know why I am doing this. Sorry, Mom.
“I love you mom! Heart shoot, shoot, shoot!”
My mother burst into laughter as if she couldn’t do anything about me when she saw me beside her shooting her arrows of heart.
Its true though. I love you so much, Mom – more than the original Laila…. So, you can’t hate me.
(T/N: Must protect this little baby! [bunny holding back cries])
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
It has been seven years since Didi and I grew up. Since there was almost only one nanny who could take care of us over the past seven years, it has also been a long time since my mother was reborn as a professional child caregiver despite being a noblewoman.
It took me less than an hour to put on my new dress and get my hair done after Mom washed Didi and me.
“Didi, who are you?”
“Rudella.”
“Great. And what do you call me now?”
“Duchess.” Valdwin replied calmly.
My mother pulled an awry face again as she felt sorry for him again. I would normally cheer up my mother at these times, but I kept my mouth shut today.
“I’m sorry, Didi.” Mother mumbled as if she was about to cry, and kissed Valdwin on his forehead.
Honestly, I don’t really understand my mother’s heart.
My previous life’s adoptive mother treated me with a face full of guilt as I wasn’t a child she gave birth to. When I entered the university… I went to do part-time jobs without receiving a single penny from them, and went to school struggling to receive a scholarship. Because I didn’t have the independence to go out as I shouldn’t be found out, it made it impossible for me to even properly enter the kitchen.
I often stuff my stomach with a triangle kimbap while I was secretly working part-time at a convenience store. What attracted me to this novel above all was the character Robelia Lorovante.
She was a person who always took risks for him that wasn’t her own child, but a friend’s child. That person now is my mother.
I thought about it several times.
If Robelia was my mother –
If such a person was my adoptive mother –
That’s why the person I was most envious of was Valdwin. That was how I came to like Valdwin, and that’s exactly the background of Valdwin who became my one-pick male lead.
Of course, my unchanging taste also played a part, so it made me more sad when the original Laila died and Lorovante was on its path of downfall.
It won’t happen this time, Mom. I am not that stupid Laila.
“I want to hug you too!” I hugged my mother and Valdwin at the same time.
“Yes, you jealous.”
Mom opened a gap and hugged me too.
I could smell the warm sunlight in my mother’s arms.
I smiled bashfully as I faced Valdwin. “I am not jealous. I love Didi and Mom!”
“Even if you don’t say it.”
Mom kissed my forehead too.
Ooh, it’s warm and I like it very much.
“I like Lala too.” Valdwin smiled sweetly.
He was like a pot of honey. Our kitten seems to be living on honey.
“Mom likes our babies too!”
Again, I am really, really, grateful to be in this novel – because this wasn’t another novel, and I became none other than Laila.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Robelia and Adolf looked around the hall where the brunch was to be held with stiff faces. Though they already held a party once before, they only stood and greeted everyone, but this will be really the start of socializing.
“Nothing will happen, right?” It wasn’t a question but was rather a consolation to herself. Adolf hugged her as she murmured.
“Of course, this will pass safely,” Adolf stroked Robelia’s shoulder.
Soon the door to the hall opened.
“Viscount Kindra with his wife, and his esteemed son is entering!”
Robelia and Adolf nodded.
The children were waiting in the back. Laila and Valdwin will appear after all the guests fill the hall. Today is the day Valdwin will become a new person named Rudella. No one would have imagined that Winchester’s legal heir would be here so, it will be fine.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
I must’ve had a peaceful sleep, but my messy hair was reborn with the help of my mother. My beautiful hair was braided on both sides and tied with a ribbon.
“Did you sleep well, our sweetie?”
“Yes!”
My mother gave me a kiss on both of my cheeks as I nodded my head. As I jumped off my mother’s lap, she held Valdwin and sat down on mother’s lap.
Mother straightened Valdwin’s hair and looked at him with a worried expression. “Your hair is short so I can’t tie it up…. Hmm, you should wear a thick headband. I think you should grow your hair for a while, Didi. Is it alright with you?”
“Like Lala?”
“Yes, like Lala’s.”
“Alright, Lala is pretty.”
Child, you have good eyes.
I twisted my body. I actually resembled my mother, and mom is really pretty. So the fact that I was pretty was a sure fact according to the universal law of genetics.
“Hmm, I also know that.”
“What? Lala knows she is pretty?”
“Yes! Lala is so pretty because she looks just like mom!”
“Mom is pretty? You said you hated me before!”
When was that? Bygones should be bygones. Mom is really something.
I smiled softly to my mother as I clung to her leg, and she patted my hair. She finished Valdwin’s hair and he jumped off my mother’s lap.
“Now, hold my hand. Don’t let go!” Mom solemnly told Valdwin and I. “You will be rewarded tomorrow if you did well today.”
“Reward? What reward?”
I have to do this exactly. No need to say anything else later!
“What do you want to do, Didi?” Mom asked Valdwin first.
Valdwin tilted his head and answered, “I want to learn the sword, Duchess.”
Mom smiled sadly seeing Valdwin answering clearly Valdwin now calls mom ‘Duchess’ and not ‘mother’.
My mother was so upset with this that she hugged Valdwin and I tightly, and said, “Alright, Didi. I will let you do whatever you want, I promise that.”
Oh! You’ll already learn swordsmanship? Then I had things to do as a successful fanatic.
First of all, I will have to make a placard and go to cheer him up…. What more can I do to boost Valdwin’s morale? Valdwin was destined to grow up to be an outstanding Sword Master.
All male leads were all like that. He’d be an archmage if he only practiced magic, and a Sword Master if he held a sword. Isn’t that the unchangeable law of the world of romance-fantasy novels?
As what was set for him, Valdwin will grow up to be an outstanding knight. Although Einz will also walk the path of being a knight, he was slower to achieve that than Valdwin. That was because Valdwin inherited the superior abilities and swordsmanship of the Winchester family. Einz didn’t inherit such a unique ability in contrast.
Shouldn’t the original male lead be a Munchkin? Just look at this, isn’t Valdwin the male lead?
No matter how much I thought about it, I think it was no mistake that I was holding on to the right rope. Fufufu, Valdwin, my one-pick.
I squeezed the hand holding Valdwin.
It’s time to meet the female lead soon. Alright, Valdwin! We will appeal to her with your charms! Courageously – bravely!
Mom took Valdwin and me out alone. The hall where the brunch party will be held was full of kids our ages, and nobles. They were the ones who decided to spend a leisurely weekend afternoon here.
They probably came to see me, the only heir of Duke Lorovante – to see Laila Lorovante.
“That kid is… .”
“She must be the nanny’s daughter, right?”
“I heard that she was chosen as Princess Laila’s study buddy this time.”
“Goodness, Countess Vaiman would be sad to hear that, since she was so bent on putting her daughter in that position.”
“Still, look at her wrinkled face over there.”
Their conversations went on like that. Grown-ups thought I wouldn’t understand anything, but they were wrong.
How old am I!
Fortunately, no one seemed to question Valdwin’s identity.
“Lala, say hi.”
“Hello! My name is Laila Lorovante.”
“The child next to her is Didi. Rudella?”
“My name is Rudella.”
It was the opportunity to present ourselves in front of everyone. I can also feel the tension Mom and Dad were feeling. I smiled bashfully as I held mother’s hand, and my mother also smiled at me.