Chapter 09
I only felt sorry for Luca… but I never expected him to react so drastically to such trivial care.
To think that being kind to Luca would come back to me like a boomerang. Was this karma for trying to change the original story even a little?
Ha… I had momentarily forgotten that karma exists in possession novels.
By karma, I mean this: if I try to follow the original story, I end up on a completely unrelated route; if I take an unrelated route, the story proceeds exactly as it did in the original. It’s a terrifying compulsion.
In other words, I can’t make small changes to suit my preferences. No, impossible. Go away, I won’t allow it—that’s basically what it’s saying.
I sighed repeatedly in despair. A gloomy cloud hovered over my head. Of course, the cloud only lingered above me.
Whether I was gloomy or not, the other two were busy preparing to leave for Winterwald.
It wasn’t until it was confirmed that I would be going with them that Luca relaxed. He even stopped making that spine-chilling “motherly” voice.
Of course, that didn’t necessarily mean Rüdiger had completely dropped his suspicions…
Luca packed his things gleefully. Since he had very little to pack, it didn’t take long.
The magnificent black carriage standing in front of our house looked familiar—it was the same one that had passed by me early yesterday morning.
From the very beginning, it seemed we were bound by some unfortunate fate. I glared at the carriage for no reason.
Thus, our departure to Winterwald with Luca happened in a flash.
The villagers were shocked. There was barely time to adjust to the sudden appearance of a noble in town, let alone hear that we were leaving together.
Rumor had it that I had seduced Rüdiger and would become a lady of the noble house.
The gist of the rumor was that the generous nobleman was taking Luca with him and raising him.
In reality, I was the one following Luca… but I didn’t have time to explain.
Leah came to find me as soon as she heard the rumor. Her fists clenched and her lips pressed tight, trembling with indignation.
“Judith, you… you always said you wanted to catch a rich nobleman, and now you’ve finally achieved your wish…”
No, that’s not it. We’re not like that. If you say that, what do you think Rüdiger, who’s right next to me, will think of me!
I quickly checked Rüdiger. Luckily, he was busy talking to the coachman.
Please, I hoped, don’t let him have heard our conversation. I fanned my flushed face in desperation.
After finishing his talk with the coachman, Rüdiger looked toward me and said,
“It seems preparations are complete. Let’s depart, Miss Maibaum,”
extending his hand toward me. The gesture was so natural and elegant, as if escorting someone was second nature to him.
Leah looked at him with envious eyes, then suddenly, as if issuing a challenge, declared resolutely,
“Fine. From now on, I’ll aim higher! I’ll find a husband worthy of you, so you go ahead and wait in noble society!”
“Wait, Leah! Leah!”
I called after her, but Leah didn’t look back even once and walked on determinedly. She has a weird sense of timing sometimes…
Since I had no particular grievances against Leah, I silently hoped that her misunderstanding would turn out positively.
“Is there some problem with your friend?”
Rüdiger leaned slightly toward me and whispered. Because of the height difference, his breath brushed against my ear.
I involuntarily inhaled at the scent of cologne mixed with his voice.
Um… Rüdiger, could we keep a little distance…?
Flustered by the sudden closeness, I couldn’t hide my embarrassment and blurted out,
“Ah, no. There’s no problem. Let’s go. Let’s hurry.”
I practically ran to the carriage. Only after sitting down could I finally breathe. Hoo… hoo…
Outside, Rüdiger stared at his palm. He clenched and unclenched his fist a few times, then let out a small sigh.
That was when I realized I had completely ignored Rüdiger’s offer to escort me.
Oh no… I didn’t mean to. I scratched the back of my neck sheepishly.
What if Rüdiger thinks I dislike him?
Wanting to maintain a good relationship with him, I tried to explain myself.
But before I could say anything, Luca, who had already gotten into the carriage, suddenly interjected.
“Uncle, why aren’t you coming in yet?”
There was still a trace of hostility in his whining voice.
Startled by Luca’s disrespectful way of speaking, I hurriedly corrected him.
“Luca, it’s not uncle, it’s… your uncle.”
“….”
Luca turned his head sharply as if he didn’t want to hear it.
Looking out the window while just kicking his legs—what an insolent kid. He was such a sweet child in the original story…
Starved for affection, Luca desperately wants to make a good impression on his new family.
He wants to be cute somehow. But at this rate…
Ah, no. People are going to say something about my parenting…! Even though I never actually taught him anything about it…
Anyway, I had to fix the way he addressed people. I couldn’t let him keep calling him “uncle.”
“This is completely different from my interpretation! Character collapse!”
The sound of the pseudo father-son relationship between the devoted mentor Rüdiger and the somewhat blindly obedient Luca crumbling like a sandcastle reached my ears.
“Of course, the story following the original would be troublesome for me… but even so, this small personal relationship could stay true to the original, right… sob sob.”
I tried my best to make Luca’s rude attitude polite and well-mannered.
I got so absorbed in it that I completely forgot to apologize to Rüdiger for ignoring his escort.
Meanwhile, the carriage left Emden Village. As we passed through the town square, I caught Thomas’ gaze through the window.
He looked at me with betrayed eyes, as if I had chosen money and power over a long-time lover.
What relationship did we even have…? Ridiculous. Absurd.
I snickered and leaned back against the carriage seat.
The carriage interior was larger than I expected. I could stretch my legs fully.
“This is way better than economy seats on planes or deluxe bus seats.”
It seemed like a pleasant enough carriage ride—but that thought didn’t last five minutes.
A comfortable ride is important for travel, you know…
I had forgotten that travel comfort isn’t determined solely by seat size.
If that were the case, lying flat on a cart in the countryside would’ve been the most comfortable.
The carriage jostled roughly over uneven rural roads.
If the seats hadn’t had cushions, my butt would have been bruised.
Every time the wheels hit a bump, I stifled the groans that threatened to escape.
But at least we’d be transferring to a train soon…
I clung to the thought of the train scene from the novel, frowning as I endured the pain.
Seeing this, Luca probably thought I didn’t want to go to Winterwald. He cautiously asked,
“You don’t want to go that much?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to go…”
“Really? Your face doesn’t look like it at all…”
“What’s wrong with my face?”
“You look serious.”
“Haha. I was just reminiscing about my memories in Emden. There are so many precious memories.”
I made a feeble excuse, but Luca nodded seriously, as if convinced.
Soon, Luca, unable to endure the travel fatigue, started dozing off.
Kids are like that, after all. I chuckled watching him nod off.
Rüdiger, quietly observing us, finally spoke after Luca fell completely asleep.
“He seems tired.”
“Looks like he hasn’t fully recovered. He’s usually a strong child.”
I gently rested Luca’s drooping head on my lap.
He didn’t even notice and quickly fell asleep using my lap as a pillow.
“He really looks just like you when you were young.”
As if he’d been holding back his words until now, Rüdiger continued talking to me.
