"Y-your Grace?!" I staggered when I saw him looking at me. I immediately roamed my eyes to the ground to see if there is someone near this place. "What are you doing here, Your Grace?" I immediately asked him.

Duke Evan didn't answer. He's just staring at me.

Fudge, I guess he won't answer. I took a deep sigh. "Wait there, Your Grace," I told him as I signaled my hands to him. I immediately took a pair of pants and a shirt from my wardrobe. After changing my clothes I immediately took a glance outside.

Well, he's still there. I guess he didn't even move an inch from that place.

I quickly hopped from the fence of my veranda. My eyes went to the ground measuring the height if I jumped from here to the ground. "Duke, I'm going to jump, stay away from that place," I told him.

Maybe you're asking why will I choose to jump instead of personally using the stairs to go there?

The answer is simple. If I go down to go to him, knights or maids would ask me to be escorted, if they see this white-haired duke, I'm sure they'll be shocked. I mean-- He just entered my father's territory secretly.

And second, I am too lazy to walk that's why I'd rather jump.

His eyes went wide when he saw me standing at the edge of the fence of my veranda. "Don't," he said with a frown on his face. "Don't jump, it's dangerous," Our eyes stared at each other for a moment.

A giggle escaped from my lips while staring at his face. "I've done this many times, don't worry, I can manage this," I told him with a very reassuring tone. "Trust me," I said with a smile.

I'm telling the truth! I've done this many times, especially when Leonardo and I wanted to go to the city when I was just a teen. We used to run away from home because Leonardo's mom is kinda strict. Leonardo's parents are my guardian anyway.

The Duke let out a frustrated expression on his stiff face. He suddenly raised his hands as if he's going to catch something. "I'll catch," he uttered with a frustrated tone. "I'll catch you if you'll jump." He said.

Woah, this is new.

A bright smile appeared on my face when he said those words. "Are you sure about that?" I asked him. When I saw him nodding his head, my smile became wider. "Ok, I'll jump now," I told him.

I was about to jump from my veranda.

However...

"Mama, what are you doing there?" A cute little voice asked me. My body became stiff when I heard Lulu's voice. I didn't move an inch while my wide eyes were looking down at the Duke. I suddenly heard his little footsteps.

I turned my head on Lulu. "Ah... Ahehehe, Mama is just chillin' here. Don't copy me okay?" I told him. "It's uhm... dangerous yeah, It's dangerous," I told him.

I don't know if I am hallucinating, but did I just saw Lulu rolled his eyes on me?

I see.

I must be hallucinating.

Right?

"Who are you?" A voice beside me asked. I jolted my body and almost fell from the veranda because of shock, it was a good thing that an arm suddenly grabbed my body to prevent that from happening.

"YOUR GRACE?!" I shouted when I just found myself being supported by his arms.

Don't tell me he teleported from there to here?!

Well, it's possible if he has Mana, but I heard that only a few could do that.

The Duke's eyes went to Lulu. "Who are you?" He asked the child again. Lulu placed his hands in his waist while looking at the Duke. His cute crimson eyes stared intently at the Man who was supporting my body.

"I'm Mama's son," Lulu replied to him. "How about you?"

"She doesn't have a son," Duke Evan replied to him.

Eh?

"You're a liar," Lulu told him.

"I'm not."

"Liar."

"I--"

The Duke was about to say something, however, I immediately raised my left arm to grab his ear. I pulled his ear gently into my face. "I adopted him days ago, please don't argue with him anymore. My heart will break if I see that child cry again."

Evan turned his face on me. "That wasn't a child," He told me.

Eh?

Wasn't a child?

The Duke stared at me with a confused face. His stares were giving me a 'You don't know?' look. I tilted my head a little bit because I am also confused. What is he talking about? "That's not a child, he is the owner o--"

"Hnggg, Wuwuwuwuwu, Mama I don't like that Uncle," Lulu suddenly burst out. My eyes went wide when I heard my son crying. "Wuwuwuwu, Bad uncle, that uncle is scary," He said before slumping to the ground.

I immediately jumped back inside the veranda and carried my son. "Shh, Don't cry, Uncle Evan won't hurt you. Look, look, he won't do anything okay?" I told him.

Lulu pointed his finger to the Duke. "Wuwuwu, but I saw him once, near at the witch's house. I think he is looking at the witch at that time. That Uncle is bad!" Lulu cried as he brush his tears with his cute little arms.

Near at the witch's house?

"What do you mean?" I asked Lulu with a wide eyes.

I mean, there's a chance that the Duke is connected to the witch who kidnapped this boy. Who knows if the Duke knows about my son's real identity.

Lulu glanced back at the Duke. I don't know if I am hallucinating but his crimson eyes glowed for a moment. "That Uncle knows the bad witch!" Lulu shouted as he placed his chin on my shoulder. "He's a bad Uncle, don't talk to the bad Uncle."

I glanced to the Duke that was currently speechless at that moment. His eyes were in a daze while looking at me and my son.

"You're not a witch," He said while staring directly at me.

The child in my arms jolted as he glanced at the Duke.

Eh?

What...?

••••••••