Divorce Manual

Chapter 72

The fact that people's attention is focused on me—I don't really hate it very much.

"Well, I heard that there are so many people who eat milk and get stomach aches—"

"It's great, Your Grace."

"Ah."

When I hear that the milk is great again, I feel a bit awkward and want to hide my face.

I'm not the one who discovered the magic stones or discovered the milk.

I'm going to die.

But, it's amazing to see Pasteur's low temperature sterilization becoming famous.

Regardless, I feel like I'm going to die because this feeling is strange, subtle, and unfamiliar to me.

"It's because I'm strange."

I reply, pretending to be humble.

"What do you mean strange? The reason you care so deeply about the young people is because of your heart."

"... "

Um... that's not really it.

Come to think of it.

It seems that the reason why I feel like I'm going to die from embarrassment and why the feeling is so strange and unfamiliar is because I didn't start this with the grand intentions they are talking about.

I've already come this far.

"With that kind of heart, is that why you refrain from banquets and worry for a year after marriage?"

A lady with cute freckles next to Violetta raises her head like a rabbit.

"Ah."

"By saving on the cost of holding a banquet, I can show my heart to the young people."

"The heart of a person who has lived without—"

"Lady Oliva!"

At the same time as Violetta's words, Miriam's voice jumps out. The sharpness in her tone looks like it's ready to strike.

"What are you talking about?"

However, most of the noble ladies, including Violetta, all look at Miriam with an ungainly gaze.

"No, I just—"

Miriam spreads her fan while lowering her eyes.

"I think the duchess seems to be very empathetic."

She says coyly.

Such a look on her—

"Thank you, Lady Oliva."

"... "

"I wouldn't have known it if I hadn't experienced it like you said."

I use a gentle voice.

Wow—you pretentious thing.

I admire her acting ability, which gives me goosebumps because I can't act that way myself.

"So I'm going to help you based on my experience."

I smile.

"Would you like to join me?"

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.

In a few days, Evangeline's farewell party in the garden will be held. It will become a venue for charity, which makes me think what kind of atmosphere I will find then.

"... "

I shouldn't have said, 'Do you want to join me?'

I should've just said, 'Please buy a lot of milk tea.'

Feeling intoxicated by the emotions of that moment, I sit on my beige sofa and squeeze my chin, staring blankly into space, feeling as if I had made a mistake in the heat of the moment.

I'm not a philanthropist.

I just wanted to make additional profits by selling milk tea to the nobles at a high price.

However, when you have a charity event, you can't make money!

The money coming in is for the young people of Lapel.

If I use it personally, it'll be tax evasion.

Is there even a concept of tax evasion in this world? Since I am not paying taxes on the things I sell, and a company has not yet been established—Can I just use it?

"... "

No, more than that.

I didn't hope for a situation like this.

I can barely hold on to my stream of consciousness as I look up.

When I think about novels that go back in time or characters being possessed, the main characters often unintentionally change their world.

I'm not the main character of the novel or anything. I'm a small citizen who just wants to live quietly.

"... "

But, I think I saw this line somewhere.

'It's not my will. I didn't want a life like this!'

As if I was jealous of someone like the female protagonist—

Come to your senses.

I hit my cheeks with both hands.

The heroine's disease is as incurable as the princess's disease.

'I am the center of this world!'

This is crazy.

Shaking my head, I sit down on the sofa.

It's just because I'm the duchess, so this kind of coincidence happened.

The duchess has tremendous power in Lapel social world.

Therefore, people are nice to me because they appreciate the milk.

'It's the reputation that will soon disappear.'

Of course.

"Ah—I'm relieved."

After comforting myself, I nod convincingly to myself and look back at Pope.

"Pope, how's Leo?"

"He's in the kitchen."

"Kitchen?"

He decided to stay with Curtis, but why does he want to be in the kitchen?

"It looks like the chef fell in love with Leo at a glance."

"Is the cook a woman?"

"It's a man."

"Ah."

I blame myself for my prejudice.

"Our Leo is a little too lovely."

"It's a little difficult to bear without falling in love with him."

At Pope's assertion,

'Leo?'

Let's call him in.

Knock. Knock.

There's a quiet noise coming from the bottom of the door.

"Lady Duchess."

The greeting sounds rough and awkward when I hear the cute title.

The way he stands there—

"I just need to see Your Grace."

When I hand a cookie to Leo with a big smile, he grabs it with his tiny hands.

"There's a lot down there, too."

"So did you eat a lot?"

"No, Elli Mami said we shouldn't eat the owners' food without permission—"

"Eat, you can eat it. Eat. How much do you eat? Pope, I told Chef—"

"I'll ask him to give everything to Leo."

"Yeah, tell him to give Leo everything."

"Yes."

"Don't starve our Leo."

"Yes."

"Leo, is there anything you want to eat?"

"This will do."

I stare at Leo's purple eyes as he holds up the cookies I gave him.

"Leo."

"It's okay to hug me."

As soon as Leo finishes talking, I hug him.

Cute.

He's too cute.

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.

Pope and I stare at Leo's tiny, pretty face as he eats his cookies and hands him the milk.

"Let's drink milk, too."

The child who looked at the white opaque liquid for a long time—

"This one."

"Huh?"

Abella lifts her head.

"People like it."

"Hmm?"

"I hear thick, deep voices, and I also like high voices and quiet voices a lot."

"... "

"Someone said that drinking this doesn't make your stomach ache."

"... "

"So I said thank you to her and that she was a good person."

After Leo explains the voices around him, he picks up a glass of milk, takes a bite from the cookie, swallows it, and drinks the milk.

Suddenly, the tip of my ears warms up, making me blink with surprise.

"Oh, there was a man who called your name."

Name?

"Yes, I was very scared because his voice was thick and deep... Hmmm...."

As if reading my mind, he speaks in a slightly trimmed voice.

"'That's pretty good, Abella.'"

A man who'd called Abella's name in a terrifying voice—

It's Charles.

"Did the man who said that have a very low, heavy handed baritone?"

"Yes."

I knew it.

"Perhaps that's his voice."

"From a few days ago?"

"Yes, the same person who drove you out a few days ago."

"A scary person."

Leo nods his little head.

"Yes, a scary person."

Smiling at his words, I nod along.

I don't know how Leo will grow after completing his 3rd sexual stage, but now that the 2nd sexual character is over, he said that people can't hear him at night when he is in the form of a wolf.

I want to ask, 'So, you don't howl?"

"I don't do it."

Leo notices first and shakes his head.

I smile at his expression and stroke his hair.

Then, I turn my head toward the window.

"Oh right. Leo?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

"How did you know the day you ran into me?"

"I do not know."

Hmmm?

"I just heard someone's voice. 'I have to make her sick.'"

"..."

At that time, I wondered what Leo meant when he said I was in danger of getting sick or injured.

"So I was just surprised to hear that voice, and ended up there. I didn't know why."

If you knew, you wouldn't have those things in your hand.

"I see."

I don't want to ask who was the owner of the voice.

I think I'll get hurt if I know.

But—

"Does our Leo hear voices like that all the time?"

Then, I think it will be very difficult because the sounds can be heard everywhere. I look down at him.

"No."

Leo shakes his head.

"If all sides are blocked by a stone wall, I can't hear it."

"I don't hear wolves howling at night."

"Yes, for now."

I see.

"B-But, what about earlier?"

"Elli Mami told me to go and see if I can find you."

Aha.

I didn't mean to call you. Chuckling in embarrassment, I did sing out his name earlier in the back of my head.

"But, they can hear us when we're all grown up. I can hear you even at night even when I'm transformed. So if I'm bigger, I can protect you more!"

Leo's cute limbs express 'a lot' by having both of his hands raised.

"Thank you, Leo."

As I caress his head, I turn my head toward Charles' office, which is visible outside the window.

"By the way, Your Grace, do you like him?"

Leo, who casually spit out whatever is in his heart, glances at me and smiles.

This kid! What do you know?!

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T/N: Leo has inadvertently become a wingman for Charles lol be exposing Abella's thoughts left and right and getting straight to the point.

Also I'm so happy we're getting more of Leo. He's too precious.