I Don't Want To Work! - Chapter 141

CHAPTER 141

“Mother?”

“……!!”

When I unintentionally echoed Milia’s words, she urgently covered my mouth.

It was a face of realization.

“It’s nothing!”

Milia shook her head. 

If the emotions dominating her just a moment ago were sadness and anguish, now it was fear.

A learned fear at that.

“I-I didn’t say anything, right!?”

Now she was clinging to me, shouting that she didn’t say anything.

Was it this scary to call for her mother once?

“I think I should leave now. Ah! The handkerchief… What should I do, what should I do?”

Holding my completely soaked handkerchief, Milia looked perplexed about what to do.

Normally, I would have said, ‘I’ll just buy a new one!’ right away.

‘I can’t just send this one away.’

If I do, I’ll have to calm her down. 

If I let her go, she’ll get run over by a carriage.

“Lady Floyd.”

I grabbed the hem of her dress.

“I didn’t hear anything.”

“……”

“Would you like to take a little rest? Your face is still a mess.”

“Ah….”

Milia touched her cheek. 

After a moment of contemplation, she nodded and took her seat next to me again.

She bowed her head.

“I’m not usually this stubborn.”

“I know.”

“I don’t usually cry so miserably either.”

“Of course not.”

Milia furrowed her brow as if she didn’t like how politely I responded.

“It’s true.”

I welcomed the breeze blowing through the trees.

“Lady Floyd always seems so confident.”

Really? It seemed like her big eyes were asking.

“But occasionally, she does make rude remarks.”

Her face twisted in an instant.

Well, it’s true.

Milia turned her head abruptly, seemingly annoyed.

“If you dislike it so much, why are you sitting next to me?”

It was an abrupt tone. 

But at the same time, there was a faint hope that I would stay.

I smiled at Milia.

“Well, you were crying.”

“What?”

“You seemed to be crying for help, so I had to help.”

Isn’t that right?

As I shrugged my shoulders while looking at Milia, her gaze fell downward.

She looked like she was lost in thought.

Then Milia stood up. She seemed much calmer than before.

“I appreciate you being here. You’ve been a great help. I’ll get you a new handkerchief. I don’t think you can use this one anymore.”

Milia looked at me.

“But regardless of how Your Highness found out, I beg you to keep the things you know, and the things I’ve said here, to yourself.”

She bowed politely.

“I earnestly request this, Your Highness Lottie Pandelion.”

It was a newfound politeness. And it was a desperate sincerity.

“Alright.”

I looked at her as she bowed her head silently, then I stood up.

“I’ll act according to Lady Floyd’s wishes.”

Milia looked at me as I held her small hand, our gazes meeting.

“If the Lady wishes for silence, I shall remain silent.”

“……”

“If you seek assistance, I will offer it, Lady Milia Floyd.”

Releasing her hand, I lightly curtsied and smiled. 

Then, passing by her, I whispered.

“When your mind is made up, please visit the bakery on Reah Street, number 34. They have delicious cakes there.”

“The bakery on Reah Street, number 34…”

Milia murmured my words as if entranced.

Alright then.

“May you have a day as radiant as a summer’s sunlight, Lady Milia Floyd.”

I smiled warmly at Milia, who would soon come.

* * *

What should she do?

Tap, tap, tap.

What is she supposed to do?

Tap, tap, tap!

“It’s noisy!!!”

Milia shouted with her ears covered.

“Who’s making all this noise!!”

As she gasped for breath and opened her eyes, she found herself inside the carriage.

Right, they were on their way back from the palace to the mansion.

Because of her troubled mind, she hadn’t brought the maid who usually accompanied her.

Right, she was alone here.

Only then did Milia realize that the tapping noise had been coming from her legs all along.

How embarrassing!

She irritably pressed her fingers against her legs.

“Oh, Lady? Is something the matter?”

A cautious voice came from beyond the carriage wall.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Then we’ll continue as is, Lady.”

Thud, the carriage started moving back towards the mansion.

Milia sighed and rested her head against the carriage wall.

But she still felt uneasy. 

It was because of that woman, Lottie Pandelion.

“……”

Milia chewed on her lips nervously.

She didn’t want to go.

That was Milia’s honest sentiment.

Even if she was forced, she didn’t want to go.

Marquis Floyd, her father, had offered her to King Gotrel as a marriage partner.

He was twice her age, with two wives already, and even his grandchildren were Milia’s age.

Lord Floyd had pushed such a man onto his daughter.

“The blood of Pandelion nobility runs thin in the royal line of Gotrel.”

Milia knew that too. 

Four or five generations ago, a princess had married into King Gotrel’s family.

But why?

That country had long severed diplomatic ties with Pandelion.

“So the current king might have something to say about the next Pandelion emperor.”

So what?

Of course, she sincerely wished that whoever her father desired to ascend the throne would do so.

But was he sending her away just to say a few words?

“King Gotrel already has two wives. So he won’t bother you unnecessarily, Milia.”

It doesn’t seem like that’s the case. 

She doesn’t want to go.

“If you just listen to me and stay quiet there, once the next emperor is decided, I’ll call you back here.”

It was clear in an instant.

Lies, lies, lies.

That’s a lie!

 “Milia.”

Marquis Floyd gazed at Milia, who looked at the portrait of King Gotrel with a pale, weary face. 

Milia raised her trembling head. 

The image of her father, smiling and looking at her, filled her vision.

“For the sake of this father, will you go?”

Her lips trembled. 

She wanted to scream that she didn’t want to go. 

But…

“Yes, Father. I will follow your will.”

As always, there was only one choice, and Milia had to follow it. 

Otherwise…

“Listen to me, listen to me!”

She might become like her mother.

“It’s not me!!”

Milia trembled.

She vividly remembered the day when her mother was dragged away, even though she was very young. 

Her crying mother, and her father standing firm in front of them. 

A few years later, Milia could understand why her mother was chased away. 

The main event, the trouble involving Marquis Floyd, the culprit was her mother. 

But instinctively, she could tell. 

Perhaps the real culprit was…

“Milia?”

It would be her father.

“What are you looking at?”

 “Nothing, nothing at all.”

From then on, Milia unconditionally obeyed her father’s words. 

If she did, she wouldn’t be driven away like her mother. 

She felt sorry for her mother, really sorry, but…

‘That’s it!’

No, it wasn’t. 

The Marquis would send her far away. 

Milia ruffled her hair in frustration.

“If you seek assistance, I will offer it, Lady Milia Floyd.”

She wouldn’t help, that woman wouldn’t help her. 

After all she’s done to torment her! 

Milia rubbed her ears to erase that voice that wouldn’t leave her alone.

Yes, she would pretend to help and then push her from behind. 

She would, wouldn’t she?

‘Still…’

She wishes she would help. 

Milia’s arms, which had been rubbing her ears until her blood flowed, fell weakly down. 

Just, just once, she wished she would help. 

She doesn’t want to go there. 

She knows she’s been acting like she wants help like she’s shameless. 

She knows it’s wrong. 

Still, just once…

“Hmp.”

Should she close her eyes tightly and tell her Father? 

If she cling and say she doesn’t want to go, wouldn’t her father reconsider? 

Since she didn’t say anything, wouldn’t her Father realize that she didn’t want to go this far? 

Tears welled up again, and through blurred vision, the mansion of Marquis Floyd came into view.

“……!!”

Milia quickly wiped away her tears and tidied her messy hair.

“Lady, we’ve arrived at the mansion.”

When the carriage stopped, there was Milia, perfect and haughty as usual.

“Welcome back, Lady.”

The maid who attended to Milia rushed over and took the bonnet she had taken off.

“Were you bored without me?”

“Am I a child to be bored because I didn’t go with you?”

“Milia.”

A deep voice interrupted their small conversation. 

As Milia slowly turned her head, Marquis Floyd was standing there.

“Where have you been?”

“Oh! Um, I was back from the palace.”

“The palace?”

“Yes, my brother forgot some important documents, so I brought them to him.”

It was a superficial reason. 

Eben had just managed to say this one word as she was summoned to the palace office, where his father’s attention was less focused.

He failed to persuade his father, he felt sorry.

“…….”

Milia smiled, and Marquis Floyd looked into her eyes. 

He nodded as if he understood why Eben had asked Milia to do what could have been assigned to his secretary.

“Ah, so you helped your brother.”

“Yes. Did I do well, Father?”

Marquis Floyd chuckled softly as Milia, as usual, smiled sweetly and acted cute. 

It was a smirk.

“Well done. Since you did a good deed, I’ll give you some extra pocket money. Go out and have some fun.”

Marquis Floyd sensed the complexity beneath Milia’s usual behavior.

“Nothing’s going to change, you know.”

And Milia.

“Wipe those tears properly. You shouldn’t disgrace the Marquis.”

With that, Marquis Floyd turned away.

Milia felt her heart sink. 

He knows everything. 

He knows she doesn’t want to go. 

He knows how much she cried. 

He knows it all.

Milia’s face darkened.

“Lady…”

The maid called Milia cautiously.

“Shall I prepare your favorite bath? How about adding rose petals for you?”

“No.”

Milia turned back, forcing a smile.

“I might go out instead since I’ve got some pocket money.”

“Where would you like to go?”

“Reah Street.”

Milia muttered.

“Let’s go to the bakery at 34 Reah Street.”