LNU 95

The Countesses’s verdant eyes, which rarely showed even the slightest tremor and always valued maintaining elegance above all else, maintained their composure even at this moment. Only the eyes, which seemed to have widened slightly as if it were an unexpected topic, subtly revealed the inner turmoil.

“It’s amazing, he’s two years younger than me, but if a stranger saw us, they would believe we were twin brothers.”

Clatter. As I continued to chatter on, pretending not to notice, she had already put down her embroidery frame. Uncharacteristically of her calm face, her white fingertips were trembling.

Even though I had already prepared myself, the temperature of my whole body dropped as if it were being chipped away. Perhaps this would be the last time I would ever see my kind mother in this life, in this Iteration. Alphas blinded by lust could at least try to monopolize and desperately try not to lose me, talking about flags and affection… but no matter what I did, I couldn’t stand up to the maternal love of a mother who wouldn’t hurt even if she put her own child in her eyes.

In the past, there were times when I wanted to ask why only the affection of giving birth was considered affection, and not the affection of raising a child. But now I knew how useless and meaningless those questions and resentments were. I could deal with old emotions on my own.

In front of the Count and Countess, who would stand firm like an iron fortress even if all the storms of the world were to blow in the face of their child, I shouldn’t dare to stand shoulder to shoulder with Allen. The very thought of wanting to stand on equal footing with him was, of course, nothing more than recklessness.

In any case, it was only a matter of time before Allen’s true identity was revealed. A huge wave that I couldn’t resist with my will alone. It was nothing more than coercion in the name of fate, or the original work.

If I couldn’t stop the wave anyway, shouldn’t I at least try to control it to my advantage rather than just watching it flow by in dismay?

I intended to bring the Count and Countess, the precious youngest son they had been so desperately searching for and had eventually given up on, to them with my own hands.

I was going to cherish and love Allen in front of them like the most benevolent person in the world.

Instead of giving up an equal position, my position in the mansion would still be solid as Hamilton’s ‘benefactor’, whom they could never lightly abandon.

“He lost his parents when he was young and was left in an orphanage, but I don’t know how he grew up so bright and cheerful. You’ll understand what I mean when you meet him, Mother.”

A face that looked like a twin. Two years younger than me. From an orphanage.

Like a wicked wizard in a fairy tale trying to entice a child, I laid down stepping stones made of words, splash, splash. Frederick’s inherited dark green eyes had now lost the strength to maintain their composure.

At some point, her hand groped up the table and grabbed the back of my hand so hard it hurt.

“Mother? Why all of a sudden…”

I tilted my head, widening my eyes as if I really didn’t know what was going on. My one and only mother, who had been calling me baby, baby, and adoring me until just now, couldn’t even say a word and was just moving her lips.

“No, Noah… Noah…!”

Soon. A sporadic exclamation broke open her throat and surged up.

I feel a little like crying. Because the ‘Noah’ that my mother’s voice was calling out so desperately was no longer me.

Unlike in a common soap opera with secrets of birth, there was no precious object that Allen secretly possessed to prove his identity, nor was there the testimony of someone else who had watched over him since he was young, but she easily entrusted herself to expectations.

In fact, it wasn’t an unfamiliar sight. Even if it wasn’t Allen, until I was about twelve years old, if there was an orphan who was rumored to have even a slight resemblance to me, that is, to ‘Noah’, the Countess would call them in without exception. She would sob, her shoulders trembling with the emotion that filled her body, saying that this time it was definitely our Noah.

So her reaction was not much different from what had happened several times in the past. The only difference was that the person she was about to meet now was truly the real one she had missed so much.

“Yes, Mother. I’m here. Are you okay? Nanny! Nanny!”

Mrs. Seymour, who had been waiting outside the room for our conversation to end, ran in at my urgent voice. My mother didn’t even have the mind to take in the worried face of Mrs. Seymour, who had grown up with her like a sister, and was just waving her hands in the air, calling out Noah, Noah!, as if sobbing.

“Call a doctor. I don’t know why she’s suddenly like this.”

“Yes, young master. You must have been surprised too, young master. Leave it to me here and go back to your room…”

“No!”

I don’t know how such strength surged from her arms, which were as dry as tree branches in winter. Before the nanny could finish her words, she stretched out her flailing arm and grabbed my wrist like seaweed.

“Bring that child… bring that child to me, huh? Be a good boy, Noah? I’m okay… I’m really okay, that child. That child first…!”

Only then did a look of understanding cross the face of the nanny, who was calmly taking in the sight of my mother, who had lost her reason in such a pathetic way. Because there was always only one type of thing that the elegant and dignified Hamilton Countess would do in this way.

Mrs. Seymour put her arm around my mother’s shoulder, but with her eyes, she showed me a worried look instead. She was worried that I might be hurt.

Seeing the kind and gentle eyes of the nanny, who had been by my side ever since Allen appeared, I felt strangely relieved.

“Yes. Of course, Mother. I’ll bring him right away.”

Into the nightmare that I had opened with my own two hands. I willingly jumped in. It was okay even if I couldn’t breathe. Because once I jumped in, I would have to see it through to the end.

“Yes. Of course, Mother. I’ll bring him right away.”

“Hmm…”

He savored the fear, tension, and even the slightest hint of hope that he could feel beyond the pale face that he was trying so hard to appear calm, as if he were shaking out the last drop. No matter how many times he poured on a desperate situation, the feeble resistance of a humble person who somehow refused to give up and struggled to overcome the situation was nothing more than an amusement to whet the appetite of the predator.

“Still, this is… quite a new development…”

He was trying to hide it well, but no one could escape his eyes, let alone anyone else. Whenever Noah Hamilton’s deep blue eyes trembled weakly, he always had to suffer from contradictory impulses.

In this entire universe, he wanted to protect Noah so preciously that no one, not even himself, could leave even the slightest flaw on him, and at the same time, he wanted to trample him so hard that he would tremble and writhe in pain until he was shattered into pieces.

Once upon a time, he had sided with the former. Every time he faced a young and innocent soul who only innocently rejoiced, not knowing even a speck of the world’s dirt under the protection of the absolute being, his heart ached with pride. But that was the wrong choice.

“May good fortune be with your steps.”

The end of the blessing and affection, poured out without end, was an unmistakable betrayal beyond any room for misinterpretation.

So, isn’t it time to choose another option? He resolved to inflict thorough pain upon the soul he cherished most and loved so desperately in this world. Thus, in the end, to make that soul… never dare to even contemplate a premature betrayal again. To be able to only smile meekly in his arms, at the affection and happiness he benevolently bestowed.

“Isn’t it only when it’s a tower you’ve struggled so hard to build that I find it fun to tear down?”

The man guarding the empty space suddenly burst into loud laughter. The sight of the world reflected in his eyes was so absurd that he couldn’t bear it.

His beloved Noah Hamilton, and a crude imitation that was merely the shell of Noah Hamilton, stood side by side like prisoners awaiting judgment. The judge in the hastily opened courtroom was the Countess, and the eyes of humans, unable to recognize souls, had safely picked out the empty shell, as they had always done.

“U-uh, M-Madam… Have I done something wrong…?”

“Good heavens, God, thank you…! Thank you!”

Intriguingly, one step behind the two figures unfolding a cliché drama, Noah Hamilton wore a lonely expression like a cliff eroded by waves. His downcast eyelashes and pale face had a certain noble air.

The man smiled faintly and slowly waved his hand.

System comforts you, saying it hopes you won’t be too upset that it only has you.

“If you look so hurt, I just want to comfort you again, really…”

He wanted to make sure the face of the treacherous betrayer would never be free from tears, but the problem was that whenever he looked sad, he always just wanted to hold him in his arms and comfort him.