Haunted Duke’s Daughter Chapter 16

Hey though I’m a horrible person who disappears for months at a time just like a s.h.i.+tty deadbeat stepdad, at least I have enough decency to not hang people off cliffs too much. Here’s the continuation from chapter 15. Enjoy…

That conversation didn’t enter her head at all. Her thoughts came to a complete halt, stuck in an absolute daze.

—Lilia! Get a hold of yourself!

With Sakura’s shout, her mind slowly began to move again. At the same time, the Prince’s words replayed themselves in her head. What did, this guy, just say?
The moment she remembered, Lilia’s heart cooled rapidly.

—Sakura. I’m fine.

—But…

Fine. Fufu, rather my head has already cooled down. I wonder, how in the world I had come to love such a man.

Indeed, the engagement itself was something decided upon by their parents. But even so, Lilia loved the Prince. Though it was something like love at first sight, she did indeed love him. To that end, to not have him taken away by Tina, she had acted out her hara.s.sment.
Despite all that, she seemed to actually have been such an inconsequential existence to this man. Certainly, Tina also said that she couldn’t really recognise Lilia when she first saw her, but this man, even if it was as kids, should have seen Lilia without makeup on countless times before. And yet even so, he didn’t recognise her.
Ah~ah, Lilia sighed in her heart. That to this man, she was such a worthless existence, was made very clear to her. With just that, it was more than enough.
And so, Lilia smiled.

“Eek…”

A short shriek leaked out from the surroundings. It seemed that before they knew it inquisitive gazes were being directed towards them. And witnessing Lilia’s smile, a good number of people had brought their hands to cover their mouths. Even Tina and Alisa, when noticing the smile, had their cheeks cramp up slightly.
Lilia slowly rose from her seat and opened her mouth towards the Prince.

“It’s been a while, Your Highness.”

“Nn? That voice… No way, is it Lilianne!?”

At the Prince’s shocked voice, Lilia deepened her smile. As if thinking, So he really hadn’t noticed before huh.

“You, what are you doing here? Are you trying to do something to Tina again?”

“There is no such thing. Just having a little chat with Tina is all. Peacefully, you know?”

“As if I’d believe that.”

The Prince didn’t even try to hide the disgust in his voice. Really, how did she ever fall in love with man like this.

“My, it’s not as if I had the intention to have you believe me. I was simply stating the facts. Or perhaps, you want to make me out to be the bad guy even without me having done anything? You do don’t you. Yes, I am very well aware.”

Tina and Alisa paled hearing how she spoke. The Prince, on the contrary, had his face redden.

“You d.a.m.n… There’s a limit to showing disrespect!”

“Oh my. This is indeed the school grounds. There is no such thing as lèse-majesté here. Or perhaps it’s that? You’ll forcibly drag me outside and charge me for lèse-majesté? Well, how frightening.”

The Prince’s face distorted with violent rage. Enjoying such a sight while laughing, before long she puffed out a scoff and smiled.

“Rest a.s.sured, Your Highness. I am doing no such things as to hara.s.s Miss Tina.”

“There’s no way I can believe such a…”

“After all…”

I no longer have any interest in you.

Perhaps not understanding the words given to him, the Prince hardened with his mouth agape like an idiot. Lilia laughed with a small giggle. Everyone in the surrounding area that had heard was made to take one step back.

“Well then, Miss Tina, I will be heading to the cla.s.sroom.”

Tina, who had been left out of the conversation until now, trembled in surprise but immediately shook her head as a smile floated to her face.

“Yes. Thank you very much, Mistress Lilia.”

“Alisa. Please make sure to tidy up my room. You’re free to do whatever after that.”

“Certainly.”

Getting up, Alisa bowed respectfully. After nodding in satisfaction, thinking well then, Lilia turned to face the Prince.

“Good day, Your Highness. Please do not speak to me again.”

Saying so with a full-faced smile and leaving behind the completely frozen prince, Lilia departed the area.

Exiting the dorm, she entered the school building right beside it. Then, finding an empty cla.s.sroom, Lilia went in and locked the door. Just like that, on the spot, she sat down as if collapsing.

“……Nn”

Tears overflowed from her eyes. Even trying to bear it, the tears continued to endlessly overflow, drenching Lilia’s face and clothes. Also, without being able to completely hold in her voice, the sound her sobbing continued to leak out.

—Lilia…

The voice resounding in her head, perhaps in concern for Lilia, had a soft and gentle tone. But she was unable to give a response.

Her first love being the Prince, beyond just the engagement, she had thought that the Prince had at least held some fondness towards her. But that was just Lilia’s desire, just an illusion. The Prince hadn’t held even the slightest interest in her after all.

—Lilia. You’re a good girl, so don’t cry. Okay?

Even being told that, she couldn’t stop despite her own will. If it could be stopped, she wouldn’t be crying in the first place.
Just like that, she continued to cry for a while and then also noticed.

—…Hic.

Sakura’s sobbing.

—Hey why are… you crying…

—After all… Thinking about Lilia’s feelings even I’d end up getting sad…

That’s just her doing her own thing, thought Lilia. In the end, what Sakura had was all just her own imaginings. It didn’t seem like Sakura was really understanding her feelings.

Besides, Sakura continued.

—Even though I want to give you a hug… I can’t do anything at all.

“…Nn”

Lilia involuntarily opened her eyes wide. She hadn’t thought that Sakura would be thinking about such a thing. When she wondered about the reason, she immediately felt disdain towards herself. Sakura was always thinking about Lilia. That was why, this time as well, she was probably feeling hurt as if it were about herself.

—Sorry, Lilia… Sorry, that I can’t do anything for you…

—Don’t worry about it alright… No need to, worry about it…

Sakura and Lilia’s sobbing overlapped. Sakura being inside Lilia, Lilia being in an empty cla.s.sroom, the two continued to cry softly.

(Author’s Note)
The story, of a broken heart.

Sakura
Lilia