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I Hid the Duke’s Daughter (Web Novel) - Chapter 9: Like father like daughter
Chapter 9: Like father like daughter
This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml
That he would be able to fatefully meet Evelyn at the market while wandering through the streets was only his wishful thinking.
Though he had come out for a stroll, unable to let go of his hopes, at least there was the cute Bianca in front of him now.
‘No, a fateful meeting with Evelyn like that is impossible.’
Islay pushed down on his hopes now. No matter how much he wished for it, cancelling an appointment a mere two hours before wasn’t nice.
He also had to ask the mayor for help in locating Evelyn, anyway, so…
“Instead, why don’t you visit me later, I’ll wait for you. Got it?”
As he spoke, Bianca coldly nodded her head.
After taking a peak at his watch, he realized there wasn’t much time left until noon.
“Well, it looks like I’ll have to go now.”
At those words, Bianca had a disappointed facial expression.
“Awww, already?”
“So I’ll be sure to buy you even tastier ice cream than today’s, okay?”
After patting the child’s shoulders, he exited the shop.
As he took a bite of ice cream, the rich and sweet chocolate taste burst in his mouth. As the little weariness he had left quickly receded, Islay had a small smile on his face.
***
Soon, Evelyn returned.
But, what in the world? Why was Bianca eating a strawberry ice cream and not the chocolate ice cream she had bought for her?
Evelyn looked at her daughter, her eyes wide open, as she asked.
“Bibi, where did you get that ice cream from?”
“The Mister from yesterday bought it for me!”
“Oh my goodness, you met that nobleman agai-…I mean, more importantly.”
During the time she was gone, she ended up in debt to this man, again? Evelyn sighed, feeling a headache coming on.
“Do you know where they are right now?”
“He was a little busy today, so he left already…”
She had wanted to eat ice cream with him. The child held a disappointed expression. And Evelyn was at her wit’s end.
‘Now there’s another reason that I need to thank him for…’
She really needed to meet him as soon as possible.
Wait. Her thoughts halted. Now that she thought about it….
“Bibi, what did you say that the mister’s name was?”
All the information she had so far was that the man was currently at Dantel Hotel, but nothing else.
Bianca casually answered.
“Mr. Lay!”
“……What did you say?”
At that moment, her eyes shook, and, like a lake that just had a stone thrown in, rippled.
Lay.
That was her nickname for Islay.
“Mommy, what’s wrong?”
Bianca looked up at Evelyn with an inquiring expression. Evelyn shook her head.
“No, it’s nothing.”
Though the nickname was something personally meaningful to her, ‘Lay’ was actually a pretty common name throughout the continent. Plus, it had been seven years.
‘But still, I am hearing this name again…’
The feeling of her heart dropping was proof that she hadn’t been able to erase him from her heart. There was a bitter taste in her mouth. While she calmed her wavering emotions, Bianca looked at her with a worried expression on her face.
“Bibi, did you finish your ice cream?”
Soon, the slightly calmed down Evelyn asked Bianca, who nodded in reply.
“Then let’s go back home.”
After neatly throwing away the ice cream cup, Evelyn grabbed onto Bianca’s hand.
“Let’s quickly go back home and bake cookies Mommy.”
Bianca didn’t ask Evelyn anything while they walked back. Why her mother had reacted that way to the name ‘Lay,’ and why she didn’t have a father.
Why Evelyn raised Bianca by herself.
Though she had countless questioned piled up to her chest, she pretended she didn’t know anything and only faintly smiled.
***
‘The food tastes bad, the seat is uncomfortable…’
This was Islay’s review of his meeting luncheon with the mayor. Personally, it was a very lavish meal.
He was sure the pricey ingredients used in making the dishes had probably taken up almost everything in the mayor’s wallet.
No matter how precious a guest was, to go this far…Islay thought that the mayor had really put in a lot of effort.
However.
‘This…it’s as if I just chewed on sand.’
The food swirled in his mouth.
Islay took a peak at the others.
In this luncheon, the mayor, his wife, and even their daughter, had attended.
The mayor smiled brightly as he spoke.
“Does the food match your taste?”
“Yes, this is a wonderful banquet.”
Islay answered modestly, out of courtesy.
The mayor had seated his daughter at the luncheon. Islay could see right through his motives.
Putting down his tableware, he thought.
‘…It’s like I’m meeting a prospective marriage partner.’
The mayor and his wife were ambitious, trying to take advantage of this luncheon to introduce their daughter to him.
But…
The mayor’s daughter had just reached 20 years. The heavy makeup and fancy jewelry did little to hide her baby face.
Islay had recently turned 30.
…this was really too much.
First of all, this lady was much too young for him.
“Now that I think about it, Your Excellency the Duke.”
“Please, speak.”
“Won’t you soon need a lady of the house?”
As the mayor spoke, he looked at his daughter. And the daughter looked at Islay with interest, gazing at him with shining eyes.
Islay felt like he was getting indigestion.
“Though I am the father, I can proudly say that my daughter is not lacking in any way.”
“…”
“She has been preciously raised in the house, and has taken a bridal course for many years.”
Ah, is that so.
His fading appetite completely disappeared.
He took a deep breath.
“Since she is a modest child, she will not be unnecessarily jealous or step her bounds. She knows her position.”
As if he were selling a product, the mayor laid out his daughter’s many advantages and disadvantages.
As Islay listened to the mayor who only seemed to have more to say, he could feel the other’s desperation.
The mayor still wasn’t finished talking.
“She’s skilled in embroidery and playing instruments, and is quiet and mature unlike those at her young age. So-”
“Hearing about your splendid daughter, I can see why you must be so proud of her.”
Unable to listen any longer, Islay interrupted the mayor, who smiled at the praise.
But.
“Unfortunately, I am not interested in dating women, but…”
The mayor’s smile disappeared, his face becoming muddled.
Islay continued.
“…I am sure that your splendid daughter will find an equally competent partner to marry.”
“…Yes?”
“Of course, that is only my personal opinion.”
Islay glanced at the mayor as he spoke.
Unsure of how to react, the mayor bit his lips.
“I believe that a pairing between two people of too big of an age gap encroaches on my moral standards.”
“Is, is that so.”
“In the future, I wish for your daughter to marry well and have a happy family.”
After Islay drew the line with those words, the mayor had nothing else to say.
Then, Islay spoke with ease as he moved on.
“More importantly, I was wondering if the mayor could do me a favor. Would it be too much to ask for your help?”
“Please, speak freely.”
“Thank you. You see, I am currently looking for a person.”
“A person?”
“Yes. Her name is Evelyn Martinise, and her age is 28 years…”
The mayor was speechless, now thinking back on his previous arrogance.
‘No way, the rumours couldn’t be true.”
The reason why the Duke of Neidhart, who had passed his marriageable age, still hadn’t married.
That while he looked for his lover, he never gave another woman a glance.
Everyone thought that was a false rumour.
But looking at the usually cold-faced Islay spitting out a woman’s personal information….
‘…My daughter doesn’t have any chance.’
The mayor put down any hopes he had of his daughter marrying into the Neidhart family.
***
The luncheon meeting was finally finished.
Islay wiped his face as he stepped outside.
“Really, I’m going to go crazy…”
He let out a sigh as he murmured to himself.
Of course, the mayor had told Islay that he would help him locate such a person.
But after seeing how the mayor had tried to set him up with his daughter, Islay decided that lowering his expectations of the search would give him some peace.
‘After all, Eve…’
…is probably not here, either.
Islay thought to himself cynically.
The worry that he would never find her in his lifetime weighed down heavily on him.
It was a feeling he had gotten used to, but just because he was used to it didn’t mean it made it any easier to bear.
Islay climbed into the carriage.
The butler who had been on standby, gazed at Islay with a complicated look.
‘I guess he wasn’t able to make any significant progress this time either.’
The butler wished that they could just find the lady as soon as possible whenever he looked at the duke’s empty eyes.
Then, won’t some things change.
‘Because the current duke…looked like a doll that moved on autopilot.’
The duke’s duties, and the search for Lady Martinise.
The butler could only watch as his master withered away while consistently executing only those two tasks.
With unhappiness burning inside him, the butler started the carriage.
They slowly moving vehicle soon passed by the ice cream shop from earlier.
‘Bibi’s not at the spot where I left her.’
Islay peaked out the window, looking to see if Bianca was still there.
A long time had passed since he had met the little girl, of course she would be gone. Still, after seeing she wasn’t there, Islay felt disappointed.
‘Why does that child keep coming to my mind?’
Was it because she resembled Eve? After wondering for a few moments, Islay shook off those thoughts.
Because this was where Evelyn’s mother was born, he had been hoping that there would be a clue to Evelyn’s location.
But of course, it was all in vain once again.
“I’ll look for about a week longer, and then I’ll leave to look someplace else.”
Islay murmured wearily.
Before leaving, he should meet Bianca for a goodbye…
Islay hung his head.
…he was so lonely.
***
That night, Evelyn and Bianca began to bake after eating dinner.
The sweet and crispy smell drifted through the house.
The cookies, made without sparing any ingredients, looked scrumptious.
“I want to give these to the mister as a present!”
Bianca looked at her mother with sparkling eyes as she spoke, pointing to a puppy-shaped cookie, complete with eyes and a beard.
“Go ahead, dear.”
Evelyn was diligently wrapping the cookies with packaging and ribbon.
She murmured a little nervously.
“I wonder if the cookies will be appropriate for this nobleman.”
“It’s okay, he will, because Mommy’s cookies are the best.”
Bianca spoke as if it was rather obvious.
‘Seriously, like father like daughter. How could they be so similar.’
Though Islay was picky about his food, he would happily eat whatever Evelyn made for him.
Evelyn stroked her child’s head as she thought how Bianca had somehow inherited that part of him. As she thought of Islay’s golden hair as she looked at Bianca’s, her throat felt like it was choking.
So she continued to focus on the work in front of her instead of thinking more about her feelings.
“You’re sure that the gentleman lives at Dantel Hotel?”
“Yup, It’s Mr. Lay at Dantel Hotel!”
“Alright…then tomorrow, let’s go look for him to pay him a visit around lunchtime. Okay?”
“Okay!”
Bianca smiled brightly.
Looking at her lovely daughter, Evelyn lifted her hands and smacked a kiss onto Bianca’s cheek.
***
The next day, Evelyn slept in for a little while.
Though when she looked at the clock, she had a reflex ‘oh no’ thought, she quickly reassured herself.
‘After all, the only thing I’m doing today is going to the hotel…’
Bianca hadn’t woken up yet.
Evelyn quietly got up and moved away so as not to wake the softly snoring child.
After entering the bathroom, she began to fill the bathtub with water.
‘The person who found Bibi, I wonder what kind of person they are…’
She blankly drifted into her thoughts, only snapping back to reality when she saw the tub was full.
She turned off the water as she folded her thoughts, and then continued to think when she entered the bathtub.
‘It’s just paying a visit to thank the person who saved Bibi, why am I worrying over it.’
But Evelyn knew why she worried.
Lay.
Because of the mention of her formerlover’s nickname.
She bit her lower lip.
That was a nickname that many men used. That was all it was.
But still, her buried feelings seemed to resurface at the mere mention of the nickname of her former lover.
Seriously. She felt ashamed of herself.
Hoping that her feelings would disappear into the water, she dunked her head.
***
When she finished bathing, Evelyn woke up the sleeping child. The time approached lunchtime after Bianca’s bath.
The child, obediently sitting on the chair, was as beautiful as a fine china doll.
“Our Bibi, you are pretty like a doll.”
Full of satisfaction and pride, Evelyn looked at her daughter, approving of her decision to go through all the efforts to dress Bianca.
“I want to wear those red shoes, Mommy!”
“Alright, you can.”
Evelyn nodded, and the child quickly jumped up and ran to the shoe cabinet to take out the red shoes.
“But Bibi, do you really like that gentleman? So much that you’d wear those red slippers you don’t wear that much?”
Evelyn threw out a question.
Because those red slippers were Bianca’s favorite shoes, and thus the ones she didn’t wear that often.
Bianca looked down at the shoes, and firmly nodded her head.
“Mmhm, I like the mister that much.”
