Chapter 4 : Ready to run (6)

*****

Regina visited Count Blois after a long time.  It was her first home after she got engaged and went to the Duke of Greroy. 

"Regina! Welcome, my daughter." 

The Countess, who was waiting, greeted her with a wide smile. As she embraced her with her arms wide open, a warm warmth covered her body. 

The warmth of her mother's body really made her feel at home. When she turned her head, her older brother Edwin was also standing beside her.

"I called Edwin too.  It just so happened that he was free today" 

Edwin, who was standing still, greeted her with a wink. She also responded with a wink. 

Edwin wasn't a warm person, but she could feel that he cared about her. He must have a busy schedule. 

They sat in the common room, had tea time, and asked each other. 

"Is the Duke Greroy nice to you?"

The Countess did not hide her curiosity as if curious about her daughter's love story. 

Her pink eyes twinkled at her, and Regina nodded, avoiding her eyes for a moment.  

"Yes we do well. He's always kind to me" 

Objectively speaking, he was a very good person.  He did not harass her, nor did he scold her.  

Her marriage was intimidating, but there was never a risk after that.  She knows his true form, and she alone feels the threat of her life.  

"I'm glad. Duke Greroy is a good gentleman, but I knew he'd never been in a relationship. I was worried that he might not fit in with you after you two got engaged, but it seems like you're getting along, so there's no need for that."  Said her mother. 

Picking up a cucumber sandwich, Regina spent time with Arsene, and her acting skills that she had built up made her lover smile.

"Yes. How sweet Arsene is." 

For a while after that, she talked about how wonderful Arsene was.  By the end of the tea time, she slowly got up from her seat to return to the Duke's mansion. 

The Countess and Edwin walked out together to the lobby to see her off. 

"Regina."  

"Yes?"  

As she walked down the hallway, Edwin, who grabbed Regina from behind, gently called her out.  

Turning her head to look up at him, she met his blue eyes.  

"Do you have something on your mind?" 

*****

"Yes? What?"

Confused, she blinked her eyes and looked elsewhere, then she looked into his eyes again.  

Edwin didn't seem to be deceived, she thought, as she clearly had the picture of a perfectly happy bride-to-be.  

"No, it's just that. You seem a little different." 

Edwin had an ambiguous expression on his face, as if he couldn't pinpoint exactly what the strange thing was.  His brow narrowed slightly. 

"There's nothing different about me. I've always been like this. I guess it's awkward because I'm get married all of a sudden."  

Calmly reciprocating with her acting skills shown to the Countess, Regina patted him on the shoulder and said don't worry. 

"Really? I say it all the time, if something happens, you need to tell me, so I can help." 

"I got it, thank you."  Regina smiled broadly at him.  

He still seemed to have his doubts, but he didn't question her further.

Because Edwin knew it would be difficult to get her answer from her anyway.  

She climbed into the carriage to see them off, and she continued to smile as she waved her hand out the window.  

As she entered her carriage and drew the curtains, the bright smile that had risen slowly faded away.  Regina remembered her Count Blois's family.  

Her warm parents, an older brother who took care of her without realizing it, she had no family in her previous life. She went through the world alone, and died lonely.  

To her, they were her first blood family.  At first, the unfamiliar relationship was rather awkward.  People would find something familiar to them, no matter how hard it might be, so was she. 

No matter how much she inherited the memories of this body, she was in confusion, and they were the ones who cared for her with love.  

Thanks to this, she could now call her mother and father.  It was the name she had longed to call.  Regina really wanted to protect this family. 

She wanted to take her whole family to a foreign country if she wanted to, but she couldn't.  

Regina couldn't even explain to them why she was running away in the first place. 

Besides, she didn't know how many more times she would have to run away, as long as she had her miraculous healing powers.

All she could do was hope, that Ruairi would carry out his promise thoroughly after she left.