This is not your home.

With that one sentence, all the suppressed sorrow welled up at once.

I had never considered the Belaste mansion as my home throughout my life.

It was because of Duke Belaste who always ignored me.

For the first time since coming to Boston, I found it comfortable to fall asleep gazing at the moon at night, and welcomed the rising sun in the morning.

Even though I was living in place of Diane’s life, this place was my home.

Duke Belaste not only failed to provide a home but also denied it.

I expended countless emotions every time I met this person.

This time, I intended to send him away quickly with an expressionless face.

I didn’t want to cry like a child, as if longing for the love I never received as a child.

Returning to that terrible past felt like walking through an endless desert.

The sand grains digging into my soles were painful. What started as a simple, stinging wound grew increasingly torn.

That’s how Duke Belaste made it so I could no longer even walk in that desert.

“How unexpected. I thought you’d look at me like vermin once you knew I was alive.”

“Larien…?”

“Am I wrong? I dared to run away to avoid the competition for the Crown Prince’s bride.”

Duke Belaste wore an expression of not understanding what I was saying.

“I came to take you back! What are you saying? I was so happy to know you were alive, why would I…”

As if he couldn’t understand my words.

Like a loving father who had missed his beloved daughter.

“That’s quite unexpected. The Crown Prince already has a wife, and a concubine who bore an heir, so I wouldn’t be of much use. Or are you planning to send me as a second wife to some old nobleman?”

Deliberately, I taunted him with sarcasm out of disgust.

It felt satisfying. I felt elated seeing Duke Belaste suffering and beating his chest.

Only when your soles are torn like mine would you understand how living was hell for me.

“If that’s what you want, I could look for a good place, but I never had the slightest intention of sending you anywhere against your will!”

Duke Belaste took a deep breath with bloodshot eyes and blurted out all at once.

“Thinking you made that choice because I told you to become the Crown Prince’s bride, how much I regretted… How could you say such things.”

As Duke Belaste approached to close the distance between us, I stepped back, uncomfortable.

“No, Larien. I didn’t mean to get angry. Okay?”

At that, Duke Belaste quickly changed to a gentle tone to soothe me.

“You’re not the Duke I knew. You’ve never called me that before. Dying must have been quite something. How people change like this.”

“…”

“Didn’t you hear from the old butler? Would anyone want to return to a horrific place? Don’t come any closer. Before I call the knights to throw you out.”

He hesitated for a moment, then immediately took a step back with the help of the Duchess of Belaste.

“My home is here. I won’t be returning to Belaste, so don’t waste your time and leave. I’m tired.”

I turned to leave through the entrance behind me.

“There’s one thing I want to ask. Is Blanche really your daughter?”

Duke Belaste asked if Blanche was indeed his granddaughter.

‘Don’t you already believe Blanche is your granddaughter?’

But why bring that up so suddenly?

“If Blanche grows up in Belaste, we can give her a better environment. By taking her in as Uriel’s adopted daughter to inherit Belaste…”

Take Blanche away?

To make her the next Duchess of Belaste, as Uriel’s adopted daughter?

It means taking Blanche away from me.

It meant making her not my daughter.

“Don’t be ridiculous. She’s my daughter. Who are you? By what right do you decide that! She’s my daughter, no one can take her away!”

I lost my senses for a moment and rushed at Duke Belaste, snatching away his cane and throwing it.

“Darling!”

The Duchess of Belaste caught him as he was about to fall because of that.

Part of the window cracked and broke where the cane hit it. Duke Belaste couldn’t say anything and just hung his head.

“Larien. Don’t misunderstand. Your father didn’t mean it that way. He had no intention of taking Blanche away from you. Calm down.”

The Duchess of Belaste looked at me and spoke calmly.

“…Taking her away from me and making her Uriel’s adopted daughter is a misunderstanding.”

The anger subsided, but my heart was still pounding all the same.

“The right to decide where Blanche lives and who raises her belongs to me.”

Duke Belaste had no such authority. Officially, Blanche was a Boston, Diane’s daughter.

Nevertheless, what if he uses the name ‘Belaste’ to take Blanche away?

“…I just wanted to give Blanche something better. If you don’t like it, I won’t do it.”

At that moment, Duke Belaste knelt down.

It was an action neither I nor the Duchess of Belaste had expected.

“But can the bond of blood be easily severed? After all, you are my daughter. Your heart must still be unresolved.”

“…”

“If you wish, I will continue to apologize. I will repay you somehow. So please… give this father one last chance.”

He bowed his head.

Throwing away all his pride.

…I kept biting my lips and endured the heavy silence felt in the air.

“Please stand up.”

If I said I didn’t waver, it would be a lie.

After going this far, should I forgive him? I hesitated, wondering if I should go back once since he was asking for a chance.

Honestly, I didn’t expect him to beg while kneeling.

Duke Belaste’s plea reminded me of one scene.

The day when I thought I had gone back to the past, and was in agony thinking I would never see Blanche again.

That day.

When I knelt and begged for forgiveness, Duke Belaste did not forgive me.

“If I hadn’t set the fire and run away, how would you be now, Duke?”

“Larien, please…”

As in the original story, you would have pressured me, who became the Crown Prince’s bride, to bear the Crown Prince’s child. Saying it was my duty born as the princess of Belaste.

Because I read that sentence calling the dead Larien a useless woman who died without even bearing an heir.

Because I can’t believe your sincerity.

If I had died just like Larien in the original story, the same situation would have occurred.

“I needed a father. One who would come when I was sick like others, who would be proud of me, who would love me.”

“…”

“But you weren’t there when I really needed you. You passed by when I was crying out for you to look at me just once, to love me.”

You tried to be there only when I no longer needed a father.

“Why are you doing this? I don’t need it. Really, I’ve just gotten over everything.”

Why?

“I will recall the past at every moment. Even if I try to forget, I’ll always think, seeing the Duke being kind to me now, why didn’t you love me sooner?”

It was all pointless and useless.

“Before I hate you more, please stop.”

Father. It felt awkward using that word after such a long time.

There was one thing I hoped he would understand.

‘Others might think I’m a heartless person for not accepting when a father is apologizing on his knees like this.’

It wasn’t because I was mean, wicked, or cold-hearted that I didn’t accept him in the end.

“I’m sorry, Larien. I gave you that name hoping you would grow up loved. But this father hated you… I couldn’t love you…”

Duke Belaste sobbed in a crouched position.

The Duchess of Belaste, who had been watching everything from the side, stroked his back.

Since someone was there, I wouldn’t need to stay with him.

Fearing I might really forgive him if I kept watching him cry, I left the greenhouse.

“Mom?”

“…Blanche?”

On the way into the mansion, Blanche, who had been crouching in the flower bed, stood up when she saw me.

“Mom. Why are you crying?”

I hugged Blanche and barely held back the tears that were about to burst out.

“Some dust got in my eyes, so tears keep coming out.”

“Shu Shu will blow for you.”

Blanche gently blew air and wiped away my tears.

“Blanche. Do you want to go into the greenhouse?”

“The greenhouse?”

“Someone there also has dust in their eyes and is crying, I think my baby blowing ‘hoo’ would make them feel better right away.”

Letting her see Blanche for a moment.

“Okay! Shu Shu will be back!”

“…Go well.”

Among the things I could do for him, this was the best.

After Larien left first, the Duchess of Belaste helped her husband, who was shocked and motionless, to stand up.

“Dear. Let’s go now.”

“I… thought we could go back together. I thought she would give me one more chance, being such a kind child.”

Everyone had expected it. That Larien and Blanche would return together.

Duke Belaste had instructed to replace the curtains in Larien’s closed room with bright ones, and to change to clean bedding.

He poured all sorts of attention into details like placing fragrant flowers in vases by the window, and ordering delicious strawberry cakes that she liked.

It was all his arrogance.

“I regret it so much. If only I could go back, I would have really loved her. I would have hugged her warmly. Without saying harsh words…”

“Be satisfied that she’s alive. She didn’t die, that’s enough.”

Tiny footsteps stopped them as they were about to leave.

“…Blanche?”

“Mommy said that dust got in your eyes, so Shu Shu came to blow ‘hoo’ for you.”

Blanche, who looked just like Larien from those days he longed to return to, approached.

“Are you okay now?”

Blanche blew air towards Duke Belaste’s eyes and smiled brightly.

“…It still hurts. Will you stay with me for a little while?”

His daughter was still kind.