Chapter 07
Of course! Luca was going to Winterwald!
At that moment—the very first moment, just like in the chart from the original novel—I was experiencing it in real time, and I felt so moved I could have stood up and given a round of applause, if I were exaggerating a little.
But I couldn’t. I reminded myself of two things I had to be careful about.
“I know nothing. I’m a good aunt who cares for Luca. A good aunt.”
I repeated it to myself like a mantra, forcing my face to show shock and worry.
I tried to figure out when nodding my head would not look suspicious, and while lost in that thought, I idly fidgeted with my teacup.
Maybe my acting was convincing, because Rüdiger cautiously tried to persuade me.
“I understand your concerns. But in Winterwald, we will do everything to provide the best environment for Luca.”
Rüdiger’s words were sincere.
Rüdiger and his parents—Luca’s grandparents—actually treated Luca not like an illegitimate child, but like their own grandson.
And because Rüdiger had no intention of marrying, Luca was their only grandchild…
That’s why, when they tried to make Luca the heir, the side branch opposed it, causing the fiasco.
Thinking of the thorny path that lay ahead for Luca, my face involuntarily crumpled. Conflict rose within me.
Did I really have to send Luca away? …Maybe it would be fine if he just stayed with me…
But in Winterwald, they wouldn’t give up on Luca. Rüdiger hadn’t said it yet, but the fact that Luca inherited Jonas’s bloodline was more important than I realized.
I wasn’t his mother, just an aunt; I couldn’t win a custody battle. Honestly, even if I were his mother, I wouldn’t have the confidence to win against Winterwald.
And even though I’d spent almost a month caring for him, that didn’t justify the abuse he had suffered before…
Luca probably wanted to follow Rüdiger anyway. Thinking that made my month of effort feel somewhat wasted, leaving a bitter taste.
“Stop whining! What I did for Luca wasn’t because I expected anything in return. I just wanted to. Doing what I originally planned is the best choice. Even in exams, changing an answer three minutes before the bell usually means getting it wrong.”
I took a deep breath, having sorted out my conflicted feelings.
“It’s all so sudden…”
“I understand,” Rüdiger nodded. I forced a weary smile and added gently,
“Luca is sick right now, so it’s hard to explain all this at once. If he takes his medicine and rests today, he should recover by tomorrow. Could you meet him then?”
“I would appreciate your consideration.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s for Luca.”
Even until the moment I saw Rüdiger off, I performed the part of the sad aunt facing her nephew leaving. Thankfully, he didn’t notice that I had always intended to send Luca away.
“Phew, I got over that mountain somehow.”
Only after Rüdiger disappeared from view did I quietly exhale in relief.
That evening, I used whatever cooking skills I had to make a pot-au-feu.
It tasted decent enough that Luca devoured it eagerly. I watched with satisfaction.
“This might be my last dinner with Luca. It’s only been about a month, but I did my best.”
I tried to remember this moment proudly. I didn’t tell Luca that Rüdiger had come.
He would find out tomorrow anyway…
Just Rüdiger’s sudden appearance today had been overwhelming, so it was a way to protect Luca a little by dispersing the shock.
The next day, as planned, Rüdiger came.
Luca’s fever had completely broken overnight. He looked at the suddenly appearing Rüdiger in shock.
“Uncle?”
“Yes. Your uncle, Luca.”
I gave Luca’s back a gentle nudge, signaling him to greet him. But Luca stood stiffly, shoulders tense.
Does he have stranger anxiety? I smiled awkwardly at Rüdiger and urged Luca,
“You have to greet him, Luca.”
“…This man doesn’t look like me at all. How can he be family?”
Luca’s eyes were full of distrust as he looked at Rüdiger.
Wait, this isn’t right. Something feels off, but I reasoned he was just sensitive because he was still sick.
“Luca, you and I don’t look alike either, but we’re still family. You can’t judge by appearance.”
Of course, Judith agreed with Luca’s suspicion. Hair color, eye color, facial features—there was nothing about Luca that resembled Rüdiger.
In the original story, they were relatives, so people assumed the same. If I were someone who knew nothing, I would have doubted it too.
“That’s different!”
Luca shouted. Now his eyes held even hostility.
In the original story, Luca had accepted Rüdiger as his uncle immediately—so what’s wrong?
Maybe I should have shown him Rüdiger and me fighting… But that felt wrong.
While I worried about how to convince Luca, Rüdiger was sweating nervously.
His smooth, flawless face twisted awkwardly.
“Luca, you look exactly like my brother. Blonde hair, deep blue eyes… I don’t look like him at all. He resembles his mother, while I resemble my father. So it makes sense you and I don’t look alike. Um… here, I have a locket with a portrait of my brother. Take a look.”
Rüdiger explained rapidly and, seeing that Luca didn’t believe him, finally rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a locket.
Inside was a side profile of a man that Luca would likely resemble when grown, like a Greek statue.
I finally understood why Larisa had spent a night with some mysterious scoundrel—everything made sense now.
“If he looked like that… I guess it could happen.”
I nodded to myself in silent agreement.
Luca, however, glared at the locket, still refusing to accept reality.
I hugged his small shoulders and tried to soothe him in a cheerful voice.
“Uncle’s house is very rich. He’s a noble. If you go with him, you’ll eat meat every day, learn whatever you want… and more.”
“…What about you, aunt?”
“Me? I’ll stay at home.”
Still, seeing him reluctantly call me aunt made me a little proud.
Talking about living expenses in front of such a gentle child… Judith Mybaum really was something.
“Now Luca shouldn’t feel betrayed… good. Let’s have a beautiful farewell.”
But despite my intentions, Luca’s eyes clearly reflected betrayal.
He looked almost hopeless, and I blinked in surprise.
Why is he acting like this all of a sudden? Is something wrong?
Then, suddenly, Luca’s eyes flashed. He hugged my waist tightly and shouted,
“Mo—Mom!”
…What? At first, I thought he wasn’t calling me “Mom.”
Of course, he hadn’t. His mother was Larisa, and he had never called me “Mom” before.
He rarely even called me “Aunt.” If he did, it was more like resentful, frustrated words.
I was so flustered that I stammered, denying it.
“I-I’m not your mom! I’m your aunt!”
But Luca shouted again, like he was nailing it down.
“Mom! Don’t abandon me!”
“No, I’m not your mom, Luca. Why are you acting like this?”
I awkwardly smiled, glancing between Rüdiger and Luca.
Rüdiger also looked dumbfounded, his tightly closed lips twitching helplessly.
I decided to calm Luca first and then explain to Rüdiger.
I spoke gently, trying to soothe him, but Luca clung to my skirt, soaking it with tears.
“I’ll keep calling you aunt. So don’t abandon me, okay?”
Wait—this is getting completely weird. It’s like I’m his real mother, pretending to be a virgin aunt, forcing him to call me aunt!
Sure enough, Rüdiger’s expression slowly stiffened.
