Translator and Editor: Maru and Aki

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Chapter 44

Rere already sprinted to the secluded corner of the rose garden before I could even stop her. She looked just like a puppy who is excited by a sudden snowfall.

“Look how happy you are.”

Perhaps because it was the brightest Rere I’ve ever seen, my smile deepened. One step later, I also looked around the rose garden.

There was a small pond in the cozy garden.

As Rere said, there were slides and swings. The rose vines twirled up the swing branchlet splendidly.

I smiled satisfactorily and followed the child.

“It’s literally a rose garden.”

The rose-decorated archway that is similar to a wedding hall accentuated its beauty.

While I was bedazzled by the simple yet aesthetically pleasing garden, the Duke approached me.

“I wanted to show you this place.”

How weird.

His warm and friendly smile reminded me of Luca.

“…Why?”

“Why? Because it’s the most beautiful place in the castle.”

No, I mean…why are you looking at me like that?

But the Duke took my question differently.

“It suits you.”

“You know fully well those words don’t suit you.”

“Is that so?”

But then something ran over my leg and bumped it.

“Big bunny!”

“Oh, Rere.”

“Geez. How long do I have to wait? I watched it alone because daddy and Big bunny are having a love quarrel here. The garden is pretty, you know.”

“Lo-love quarrel? Rere, you’re mistaken.”

I already said it over and over again. That guy is not my style.

Even if I die and be reborn several times, I don’t want to get associated with him.

‘That doesn’t mean I want to die though…’

“But it’s understandable. I wouldn’t want to have a love quarrel with daddy, either. Daddy is not attractive.”

The Duke snorted as if upset, but then he hunched over and hugged Rere.

“Daddy is already attractive by simply existing, Rere.”

“That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard lately. Look, daddy. There’s a saying that people need to know their places.”

“Rere. Where did you learn such difficult words?”

“Oh. I learned those when Big bunny was reading strange books next to me. Anyway, that’s not the point. Daddy! You need to know your place. A married man with a child can’t live with Big bunny!”

The Duke’s face visibly stiffened.

“Rere. It’s true that daddy is a married man with a child, but…now..”

“Now what?! Gosh…how frustrating. This is why I keep wanting to change my daddy!”

“…Ch-change your daddy…?”

That was the best expression I’ve ever seen from him. I nodded in haste as I watched him being defeated by Rere.

Sigh. That’s why people like cider.

Even a frustrating person like the Duke, who used to shove sweet potatoes down people’s throats every time he showed up, was beaten hard by Rere.

“Yeah! I quit because daddy has come to his senses, but I originally wanted to change my daddy. I wanted to change it to Luca!”

“…Do you want to change your daddy to Luca?!”

“Yup! You look similar anyways! Plus, Luca is really kind towards Big bunny. I think Big bunny has feelings for Luca.”

At that moment, both Rere and the Duke’s gaze swiveled to me. Rere had been acting all serious in front of the Duke, but she quickly pouted when she saw me.

“Am I right, Big bunny?”

“Do you…like Luca?”

“Well. Why can’t I?”

I doubted it, but the Duke’s face slightly hardened at my words.

How ridiculous.

Why is he making that face? People would think he was dumped by his crush.

“I told you so. That’s why you should be nice to Big bunny. Just like Rere!”

“…Not like Luca, but like Rere?”

“Yup! I’ve been doing a great job of being nice to Big bunny. Feeding her tasty food, praising her, and patting her cheeks! I’m also sleeping next to her in case she gets a bad dream! That’s why you have to work hard, daddy. Or else Big bunny will run away.”

I wonder if Rere knew.

The face of the man who held her was puckered like crap.

Perhaps because he felt my gaze, he hurriedly averted his eyes and tried to change the subject.

“Ahem. Anyway, this place that Rere has always wanted to come to has nothing special about it except that there are many roses.”

“Then why would you forbid me from coming to this not-so-special place?”

“…I’m going to tell you now. This place is Rere’s birth mother’s favorite place.”

“Why is daddy only talking about my mother that isn’t here anymore? Daddy is weird.”

Rere winced as if she didn’t want to hear it.

“Get me off.”

“Rere.”

Just like his old habit, the Duke held the child tighter in his arms. I grabbed his hand and shook my head.

“She doesn’t want it. She’s not ready to accept it yet, so do you really need to tell her now?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then wait until Rere is ready to accept the truth.”

In the past, he would turn a deaf ear to my words. But the Duke only mumbled and lowered the child to the floor.

“Rere. This is what I want to tell you. You’re more precious than anything in the world. Your mother was always happy to wait for you here.”

“…But she died early. Without saying anything.”

“That’s…”

“If she truly loved me, then why didn’t she give me a name? If she truly waited for me, why didn’t she leave a single letter?”

“Because-”

But Rere already ran into my arms and hugged me before the Duke could say anything.

“The present is more important. My current mom is more important. That’s why…stop talking about it or I’ll be angry!”

Despite being more mature than kids her age, Rere was still 5-years-old inherently. She was at the age where she hated her mother for being absent rather than understanding her death.

So I embraced Rere warmly.

“Rere, why don’t you show me around?”

“If Big bunny wants it, I should do it. Tch..how annoying. I have to do everything. Then let’s go over there. Big bunny has never been on a swing, right?”

Rere regained her confidence and pointed toward the swing.

“Get me off here. Big bunny should sit down, too.”

It seems like they added a soft cushion to the wooden structure. Meanwhile, Rere swung her feet back and forth excitedly.

A smile spread over Rere’s face once the swing moved.

“Feels good, right?”

“Yes. I want to stay like this and take a nap.”

“Just sleep. Lie down here, and I’ll pat you on the back.”

Rere pushed me back slightly and patted my chest gently.

“There, there. Our Big bunny sleeps well. You need to sleep well to grow big. Hush, hush, Big bunny. Bunny, bunny. Big bunny.”

“What lullaby is that?”

“Rere’s lullaby. By the way, Big bunny. Do you want me to tell you a secret?”

“Secret?”

“Yeah. It’s actually my first time sitting on a swing. Daddy scolded me last time. That’s why I looked forward to it. It’s as good as I expected…but I feel nauseous sitting here. I want to stop.”

The stiff-faced Rere eventually jumped down. This time, she approached the slide. The little girl’s chirpy laughter spread throughout the garden.

“Big bunny and daddy come here, too. The slide is really fun!”

“I’ll catch up with you soon. Rere, are you enjoying it?”

“Yeah!”

The Duke, who had been watching us the whole time, approached us.

“She seems to be enjoying it…”

“Why didn’t you allow Rere to come here?”

“…Actually, Rere’s mother was terrified of having children. But when she gave birth, she really loved the child. She made this place to show how much she loved the child.”

“…You’re not going to tell her about the first part, are you?”

He intently looked at me as if wondering why am I asking the obvious.

“There’s no good in saying that.”

“True. But you can’t hide it forever. If you don’t tell her that, you’ll keep telling other lies about Rere’s mother.”

I straightened my body and continued.

“Hiding it is not always a good thing.”

The child would eventually be curious about her roots.

Just like me, who is a child born of a single mother.

I wanted to find out about my birth mother. When I couldn’t find anything, I was terribly disappointed and deluged in my own thoughts.

I thought my mother had abandoned me for sure. I was in despair and struggled for a while.

“At least for Rere…”

I hope the child won’t suffer the same pain as me.

“I’m not asking you to say it right now. I’m asking you to tell Rere when she’s healthy and all grown up.”

“…I’ll think about it.”

“Don’t just say it. Think about it well. Geez, so unattractive.”

“…Am I that unattractive?”

“What are you two doing? Until when will you let me play the slide alone!”

Before I knew it, Rere spread my fingers one by one and put a light purple rose on top of it.

“Take this. It suits Big bunny.”

“Is it a gift?’

“Don’t get me wrong. We’re not that close enough to give each other a gift, to begin with. Stop with the nonsense and let’s go play on the slide. Daddy and Big bunny!”

The Duke and I glanced at each other and approached the slide. The slide was pretty wide as it was originally made for adults as well.

It was fun overall. Of course, the boring guy, Duke Ian, had distanced himself from us in the midst of this.

“What a boring man.”

“…Boring, you say?”

“That’s what I honestly think.”

Rere, who followed me by sliding down, raised her fingers and waved it.

“Ahem. Anyway, there’s something I haven’t said earlier.”

“Big bunny, I’m sure daddy will say something weird again.”

“What do you mean? I have an announcement to make. I’ll officially take Leona as Duchess Petri.”

“Wha- Are you sure you want to take me as your wife?”

“You aren’t going to reject it when you said it so confidently the other day, are you? You’re pretty cool when you say it in front of the insect-like Duke Arvida.”

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