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nRaising his head, he looked at the expressions of his father and brother.

nThey seemed to fully understand Noel’s feelings.

nBecause they were looking at him with worried eyes.

nHe should have felt grateful, but Noel was slightly angry.

nWhy did it seem as though Noel is the only one tied to the past?

nShouldn’t everyone be feeling this way?

n“. . .Why is nobody scared?”

nNoel’s voice was trembling.

nUnable to contain his rising emotions, he jumped to his feet to look at the portrait of his mother hanging on the wall.

nThen he remembered.

nIn the past, they had held a ceremony to welcome his mother by kissing that painting.

nBut that was it.

nMaybe it wasn’t sincere.

n“Mother . . . hasn’t come back yet.”

nHis mother hasn’t come back to him.

n“I don’t want it!”

nNoel let out a scream.

nNo, it was almost a cry.

n“Nobody, nobody can go!”

nNoel walked over to the portrait of his mother and leaned his forehead on it.

nThere was no scent he remembered, only the smell of paint.

n“No one in this mansion . . .”

nHe hastily rubbed his cheek and face.

nBut he couldn’t hold back the overflowing tears.

nHe managed to turn his head to look at his family, all with wounded expressions on their faces.

nHis feelings of regret and hate were tangled together, and his mind became even more messed up.

nNoel left the family room without looking back.

nDarrel stood up to grab him, but he didn’t look back.

nAs he ran through the hallway to his room, Noel stopped in front of the front door of the large mansion.

n“I will be back when the weather is warmer.”

nThe place where he greeted his mother.

nAnd where he waited constantly, day after day . . .

n“. . .”

nNoel shed his tears and made up his mind again.

nHe didn’t want to be separated from anyone.

nIt didn’t matter if this behavior was criticized for being immature or selfish.

nAnything would be better than going through the agony again of not being able to see them ever again.

n* * *

nNoel learned some new facts.

nIn fact, he only thought that none of his family had gone to the Duchy’s estate since his mother had left.

nBut that wasn’t the case.

nHis father came to his room and told him that he had been to the Duchy’s estate several times.

nHe borrowed the power of magic, and he was able to go back and forth quietly in one day.

nAnd Darrel, too, said that, after becoming an adult, he had visited the Duchy’s estate several times in a similar way.

n“I thought I should tell you . . . but.”

nIn the room reddened by the sunset, the Duke continued his words slowly.

n“I thought it would be better to talk after you grew up a little. As a result, it just ended up like this . . .”

n“. . .”

nThere was no reply from Noel.

nThe Duke lay on the bed and gently stroked his unmoved son’s hair.

n“I’m sorry.”

nIf the story about his family going to the Duchy’s estate had been told in advance, the wounds Noel would have suffered now would have hurt a little less.

n“. . . I’m sorry, Noel.”

nNoel, who was lying down, turned his head for a moment.

nHe cried so much that he couldn’t properly open his swollen eyes.

n“Then.”

nThe child whimpered and looked up at the Duke obliquely.

n“. . . Don’t go.”

n“I’m sorry.”

n“I don’t want it!”

nWas it because it was not his desired answer?

nThe boy buried his face in the pillow again and started crying.

nThe Duke opened his mouth to comfort him again.

n“I have been there several times already. There is nothing dangerous. It’s just a little longer this time around.”

n“. . .”

n“I promise I’ll come back in good health.”

nHearing the Duke’s words, Noel finally got up.

nAnd he swung the wet pillow helplessly.

nThe pillow hit nowhere and fell to the floor.

n“. . . You’re lying!”

nNoel screamed and looked at his father.

nHis vision was blurry and he couldn’t see what face his father was making.

n“I hate Father . . . I hate Brother too.”

nJust then, a knock was heard.

nIt was Darrel.

nWithout Noel’s permission, the door opened.

nNoel had just shouted ‘I hate you’, so he looked around the door in surprise.

n“Noel.”

nBut when he heard Darrel’s voice calling out to him calmly, his anger rose again.

nJust as his father had come to convince Noel, he could see that Darrel had come with the same goal.

n“. . . I want to be alone.”

nNoel shook his head and muttered.

nHe crushed his anger forcibly.

n“But Noel.”

nDarrel was worried about his brother who didn’t eat and only cried, so he plucked up the courage and took a few steps.

n“Don’t come close!”

nThen Noel raised his guard and screamed.

n“You . . . you didn’t even want to listen to my words from the beginning! You were just going to leave me here and leave!”

n“It’s not like that, Noel.”

n“Liar!”

nThe seeds of hate must have grown in tears.

nSeeing the vines coming out of the seeds tighten his heart and begin to move to the nape of his neck and lips.

n“I hate you all!”

nThe red sky was getting closer to darkness.

nPerhaps because of that, nothing came into Noel’s eyes now.

n“If you really go away, I’ll hate you forever. I won’t even wait for you to come back!”

nNoel wept again and collapsed on the bed.

nHis father and brother spoke more, but he didn’t even listen.

nEven if he had heard it, he wouldn’t have answered.

nObviously, they were just saying things to convince Noel.

n