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Chapter 49
Eight Breads. Next to a Mad Dog, Next to a Lunatic (12)
“I’ve never once been the daughter of House McClure, and I never will be. You clean up the shit you made yourself. Shove it down your real daughter’s throat, or eat it yourself.”
“Do you think blood ever disappears? No matter what you say, the fact that you’re my daughter won’t change.”
“That’s truly horrifying. I never thought I’d hear you say it with your own mouth.”
This was the man who once told her that being his daughter was shameful, that she should keep her mouth shut and live quietly.
He had said it was disgusting that his blood flowed through a pig like her.
That she should never forget Iraine was his only daughter, and she should know her place—live silently, as if she didn’t exist, as she had all along.
Ellie had kept her head down, trying not to be hated by Iraine, trying to avoid the future where she became a petty villain. But Duke McClure had simply assumed she was truly cowed and submissive, and had been satisfied with that. It had always been only about what pleased him.
She had wanted to let him live with that delusion, since he was someone she no longer cared about. But now, if he claimed she was his daughter, then things were different.
If there was still the faintest thread of connection between them, she would cut it here and now.
“There’s no one who can prove I lived in House McClure. Even if there were, testimony from servants won’t mean much. You kept me locked away, hidden, remember?”
“You seem to have forgotten about Seth Hastings.”
“So you’re going to rely on that pin-nosed sardine’s testimony to prove my bloodline? How convenient.”
Neither the Mayer family nor Seth Hastings would likely side with Ellie.
But that was fine. Ellie could stand alone.
She was fine, but at the same time… it didn’t feel like she was completely alone anymore.
“And what now? You think you can just take me to the prince? You’ve already introduced Iraine as the Lady of McClure. That’s fraud. Maybe you could excuse it if your real daughter had gone missing. But when she’s alive and well, and you tried to disguise a bastard as her? You won’t get away with that so easily.”
“Whether the prince is angry or not, that doesn’t matter. What’s important is the Imperial decision.”
“Oh, so you’ll tell them yourself that Iraine’s dirty birth makes her unfit to be crown princess?”
“You little bitch….”
“You went through all that trouble to make her your daughter, shouldn’t you at least protect her? Because of your adultery, she’s lived her whole life without even a proper family name. Don’t you pity her?”
“……”
Even when she mocked him, when it came to pity for Iraine, he couldn’t help but agree first.
It was truly disgusting, but his affection for Iraine was the only genuine thing about him. Ellie, in this moment, sincerely pitied Iraine.
“No matter who you try to marry me off to, I won’t die alone. I’ll kill my husband and say it was at your command.”
Ellie had no intention of ever returning to House McClure. She’d rather die than live as that man wanted. Better to just shut her eyes and… run away once more.
“You think you can defy me and live?”
“Try it, then. I’m tired of hiding.”
Duke McClure snorted. To him, Ellie probably looked like a yapping puppy that thought it could bite.
“So stop trying to drag me in. Go your own way. Don’t pretend we know each other, don’t try to cling. Just live as if I never existed. That’s what you’re best at, isn’t it?”
“……”
Duke McClure unexpectedly fell silent. His gaze slid past Ellie, to Maurice, Edmund, and Van, who were smiling behind her.
“Dragging you away right now might be difficult. But don’t think for a second that I’ll give up.”
“I never expected anything from you.”
“Shut that insolent mouth.”
“This is the first time I’ve ever spoken back after a lifetime of listening to you bark. You can endure this much.”
“If Iraine suffers misfortune, I will never forgive you.”
“That would be your responsibility, not mine. So why—”
“We’ll see how long you can stay so confident. Let’s see how strong those men you’re relying on really are as shields.”
A classic villain’s line.
Ellie turned away from the suddenly quiet Duke McClure.
She hadn’t gotten all her words out, but she had vented enough of her rage. She immediately soothed Edmund, who reached for her hand first, and tugged him along.
Edmund resisted.
“Wait, Ellie, I just want to say one thing—don’t pull me!”
“Outside. We’ll talk outside first.”
With her other hand, she grabbed Van’s elbow too. Left alone, Van would surely linger until the very end. Fortunately, he followed obediently.
She saw Maurice mouthing something back at Duke McClure. Ellie only wanted to get out of that room quickly.
It wasn’t running away. It was more like wanting to scrub off the filth clinging to her.
And as soon as the door closed, Maurice pulled her into a deep embrace.
“Huh?”
“Well done, Ellie. You did so well. Really brave. Clever girl.”
“Uh…”
“You were nervous, right? You were really brave. I believed you could do it…”
“Don’t exaggerate, I just…”
“It wasn’t easy. But you did it.”
“……”
“Good girl, Ellie. You did great.”
His tight embrace smelled of fine perfume.
Ellie couldn’t even breathe properly, nor could she find the right words. With her awkwardly raised hand, she only clutched the collar of his clothes tightly.
It felt like she had emptied everything inside her, but no. Something was still bubbling in her chest, refusing to let her speak easily. She bit her lip and lowered her head.
She had thought facing her father was no big deal.
That wasn’t something to be praised. It was something she should be blamed for—running away.
Maybe she should have raised her voice from the very beginning, protested the unfair treatment, demanded her rights.
Even now, all she had really done was say “no” for the first time. Nothing was truly resolved.
Duke McClure could still ruin her business any time. He could still seize her whenever he wished.
And yet.
Even so.
Ellie had found the courage to face the man she’d avoided, excusing it as “he won’t listen anyway.”
Maurice seemed to understand how big a step that was for her.
His large hand cradled her small head. With her forehead pressed against his chest, as she caught her breath, he rubbed her hair and chuckled.
“Well, I’ll admit, this was half a gamble for me too.”
“What the hell?”
Edmund gnashed his teeth. He wanted to tear Ellie away from Maurice immediately, but seeing her on the verge of tears, he couldn’t bring himself to.
It stung that he hadn’t been able to help.
Most of his magic was large-scale, destructive spells—useless in such a personal setting. And he knew little of noble affairs.
Even though he had risen to Archmage, that was only because his skill was undeniable.
But he had never cared for the Tower’s politics. He had left matters of the royal family and their disputes to the Tower’s elders.
Now he regretted that. He should have learned more.
“I knew Prince Damian liked Ellie, but I wasn’t sure he’d actually introduce her personally.”
“Maurice. Seth Hastings was there too. Did you know that?”
Van knew Seth Hastings’ reputation well. Stupid, violent, impulsive—Ellie was not safe around him.
“That’s why I sent you all in first. A commoner like me couldn’t enter that banquet hall.”
“I’m a commoner too, technically.”
“You’re the Archmage.”
As if to say: useful only for defense, nothing more.
“…I’ve never hated you more than I do today.”
Maurice winked at sulky Edmund.
“Thanks for the compliment.”
“It wasn’t a compliment, you lunatic…”
“And look—if <Cookie Walking> is to be based in the Rosso Kingdom, you can’t avoid Duke McClure’s eyes. So I needed to show him a backer he couldn’t easily touch, as a warning. The business is profitable, but if it’s hemmed in by limits, that’s trouble.”
“Money-mad bastard.”
Van saw Maurice smiling as he continuously patted Ellie’s head and shoulder. He asked:
“So this was all your scheme? You planned for Ellie to confront her father without telling her anything?”
“There was no time.”
“All just for money.”
“What else would a merchant have as his purpose?”
Yet the way he looked down at Ellie in his arms was anything but calculating.
Was it another of his lies, or was even he unaware of it?
“You could’ve just married me and had the support of House Cronin.”
“Ugh, no thanks.”
Ellie shoved at Maurice’s chest, pouting. Van knew she was joking, but it still stung.
“Ellie, you’re joking, right…?”
“I really don’t want that!”
“But I’m the third son, free from inheritance. I’m relatively independent.”
But there was no guarantee House Cronin would fully protect Ellie. That was why even Van hadn’t pushed the matter.
Edmund, following Maurice’s lead, hugged Ellie and pressed his forehead to her shoulder.
“Then what about me?”
“I don’t want you either, Eddie…”
“……”
“If it comes to that, I’ll just run away on my own. Go far, far away.”
Maurice cut in.
“That won’t do. You signed a contract to do business with me.”
“…Right. I did.”
Ellie answered after a pause, then smiled.
“Fine. Let’s make money.”
