Why Are You So Obsessed With Rejecting Affection? Chapter 32

Shushu.

I kicked my quilt off with my lips pursed, at that sa mont I heard the voice of the Grand Duke who was knocking on the door.

Yes

When I open the door, I have to show the Grand Duke a crestfallen expression.

But I couldnt keep the Grand Duke waiting by the door for too long.

I finally got up and opened the door.

You called for ?

When I asked with the door slightly open, the Grand Duke sighed lightly.

You skipped breakfast. Are you sick?

He asked, pushing his hand slightly through the slightly opened door trying to widen it more.

He seed to have realized that I started to hate going out of my room.

I regained a little bit of my composure, thanks to the Grand Dukes considerate attitude that made him not completely open the door against my wishes.

No.

But why did you skip your als? Everyone was worried about you.

That

I hesitated for a mont because I dont know what to say in response.

I dont know why Im not feeling good.

But what was certain was that I didnt want to worry about making the Grand Duke stand at the door like this.

I dont want to be a troubleso daughter just as soon as I was brought into the family.

I opened the door a little more and looked up carefully at the Grand Duke.

The Grand Duke was holding a covered serving plate in his hand.

What is that?

Can I co in?

The Grand Duke did not answer my question. I nodded and stepped out of the gap in the doorway a little.

Co and sit down.

The Grand Duke with the plate set on the table called out to .

I sat down with a confused gaze at the plate.

I dont like you having an empty stomach. You have to eat well to grow tall.

When the Grand Duke opened the lid of the cloche, the delicious sll of soft seaweed drifted out.

It was a light soup topped with square pieces of bread.

Krook.

At that mont, I held my stomach with an embarrassed blush because of the sound it made.

Arent you hungry but you still wont eat?

The words of the Grand Duke, who spoke indifferently, brought on a sense of sha.

I grabbed the spoon that was placed next to the soup.

Is it okay for the Grand Duke to bring soup?

Even if the Grand Duke brought the plate with the maids and servants to transport it? Are you not disregarding so rule in etiquette or anything like that?

Then, I couldnt even feed my daughter, what should a Grand Duke do? And not Grand Duke

Yes, Appa.

[e/n: shes using the Korean word for Dad here.]

I nodded softly. Since soone as high status as the Grand Duke brought it to , I have the glory of receiving and drinking this soup.

Its delicious!

As soon as I drank it, I felt the soaring depression disappear.

As I took the spoon and smiled broadly, the eyes of the Grand Duke smiled faintly.

Now, then its not because youre sick or because youre full. Why did my daughter choose not to eat?

That I dont know either.

Must you bother your father?

I tighten my hold at the spoon as the Grand Dukes words hit .

I blinked my eyes when I couldnt answer, and one of the Grand Dukes eyebrows rose high.

Thats right. Do you regret the adoption?

What?

It isnt weird to miss your relatives once in a while.

I dont miss them!

As soon as the Grand Duke decided to abstain, he seed to think that I regretted the adoption because my family could be looking for .

I was speechless for a mont, but I clenched my fist and complained.

Regret the decision of adoption? How could it be?!

Had I not created this opportunity, we would not have t, why would I do this and then regret it?!

I put my spoon down on the table and jumped up from my seat.

If you knew how happy I am, you wouldnt be able to say that!

I realized why I felt bad when the Grand Duke told I was missing my birth family.

It wasnt because I was happy that he found , but because I was angry.

Now, the real Shuelina has already disappeared.

The child disappeared without being properly loved by her family. Why are you looking for her now?

My only family mbers are Appa and my two brothers.

Well

The Grand Duke looked sowhat happy.

When I saw the oddly raised corners of his mouth, I rembered that the Grand Duke was also clumsy when it cos to affection.

I was just anxious.

I was worried that I would just go away when the emperor said he was looking for .

I think that the mories of being rejected by others are so strong that I assud that regardless of what I want I will get thrown away

Even if Im a grown-up.

Sohow I frowned a little and stared at him blankly. Soon afterward, I cleared my mind and glared at the Grand Duke with deliberately bitter eyes.

No, but if His Majesty cos to look for soone, please promise that you will not send !

Except if you wanted to go in person, no one can stop you from being by my side.

At those words, I laughed faintly and drank the soup.

When I had finished eating the toasted bread and the soup, the Grand Duke stood up from his seat with a face that seed completely relieved.

Now you can co with . I have sothing to do before the afternoon.

He lifted up into his arms. Then he imdiately tried to leave my room.

N-no! Shes still in her pajamas!

Ah.

At that ti, Nina, who was standing with her feet pacing behind the door, eagerly held back the Grand Duke.

The Grand Duke looked down at and closed his mouth when he realized it.

Mirroring his surprise, I had also not realized earlier, but I was indeed wearing pajamas.

At the orphanage, I didnt think anything was unusual even if I was only wearing pajamas and casual clothes.

Where are you going?

I have to take her to choose an escort knight.

Escort Knight! Hes the one who will keep safe!

I imdiately shook out of the Grand Dukes arms and jumped to the floor.

Ill co back with clothes!

Dododo, Nina ran away.

I was excited to see who would protect .

***

The place where I arrived, in the arms of the Grand Duke after changing into a pretty dress, was the practice hall of the Grand Duke of Baylot.

Where the Grand Dukes Athyst Knights train. This was where Wyndert and Deleign spent most of their ti.

I wasnt allowed to co here because it was dangerous, but Ive seen many things through the windows of the mansion.

Even from a distance, I thought it was a really spacious and neat place, but when I looked at everything up close, it felt much more spacious.

I saw the footprints of the knights who had been running on the hardened floor.

Ah, Shushu!

Wyndert and Deleign, along with the knights, were all gathered in the training hall.

Deleign first tried to run toward this area when he found .

I also tried to wave to them, but I saw that the thin Deleign was caught by a sturdy knight.

We are training! Where are you going!

Ahhhhhhhhh! I just want to say hello to Shushu!

Well, you were training.

I waved my hands toward Deleigns back, then we started moving away.

Likely because he had learned a lesson from watching his younger brother, Wyndert looked at the Grand Duke, silently greeting him with his eyes. Then his gaze turned to .

Are you alright?

Like the Grand Duke who was worried because I didnt co out in the morning, Wyndert also seed to be worried.

I could see his eyes slightly calm down.

I have eaten!

I moved my mouth and patted my stomach to tell him that.

Then Wyndert saw it and laughed. It was a refreshing smile.

Deleign made a noise and ran in my direction.

Hes the only person making a fuss.

All the knights in the training room were looking at this side in a very calm state.

Well, everyone pay attention.

The Grand Duke took to the podium on one side of the training center and gathered the knights.

All of the knights ran over in an instant, they imdiately ford rows and looked at the Grand Duke.

Aweso.

No one stood out of line.

It turns out that you guys have really trained hard.

You dont know my daughter, right?

Yes!

Im trying to pick up a direct escort for Shuelina. Soone who will protect her outside the mansion. Is there anyone willing?

My escort knight! I hope you are a good knight!

It would be nice if you were a strong knight and could save right away from danger.

All of the knights were standing wearing light armor and well-maintained swords.

Everyone looked strong and competent.

No matter who will it be, I think they will help well!

I just admired their appearances and waited for the knights to respond.

Is there anyone who will volunteer for ?

At the welco party that everyone had held, I did a brief greeting with the knights.

They ran to help on the night I was almost kidnapped as well.

However, it was not known whether there would be many people who would be my escorts voluntarily.

The thod to raise the social standing of the escort knight depends on who the lord or lady he is protecting.

In the original work, I rember Azuela saying, Who would like to escort a girl like you?

It was said that Shuelina cried loudly. I burst into a fit of anger, saying, Whats wrong with this female protagonist!

I also waited for the response of the knights with a bit of excitent.

Even if no one volunteers, I shouldnt be disappointed.

I fully understood the knights position.

Ive lived like a beggar apart from my precious lineage.

Besides, the knights didnt even know my identity. I wasnt even soone related to them.

So its a natural result.

I was going to try to get along with the knights that the Grand Duke forced to stick with.

As I thought so, while pressing my heart, the bottom of the platform beca a little noisy.

Be the Ladys escort?

I could be stuck by her side every day!

I didnt know I was going to be an escort to a cute girl like her!

Rather than being a cute baby girl, our Grand Duke didnt have any daughter at all!

When I listened to the gossiping words, surprisingly, the knights were very friendly.

Rather, everyone was loving .

I dont know if its good to love a young lady like without any power, but even if its small complints, I liked it.

Because its better to like than to hate .

There were so knights that felt sorry for , who was almost kidnapped yesterday.

For the knights whose virtue was to protect their oaths and be loyal to their pledges, I thought I looked really cute.

Even at the welco party, everyone was very displeased, saying, How dare you try to kidnap a child, the lady we serve!

I will volunteer!

The sa is true of !

Pick !

Imdiately, all the knights inside the training hall raised their hands and began to ask for them to be picked.

All the escort knights!