After another day of rest, I still woke up in that foreign body.
This time, I was much calmer than last time. To my surprise, fainting two times in a row must have scared the Rubin household witlessly, because an angelic woman was attending to me personally with worried eyes. Thought it felt like we met for the first time, I knew well who she was.
“Mother…?” I asked in a small, trembling voice.
“How do you feel, my dear?” A delicate hand had reached out to me and caressed my head with tender care. Her voice was as melodious as a songbird’s.
“I’m fine, mother.” I gave her a reassuring smile.
Strange, I thought it would be much harder to call her mother, but after our memories have merged, Duchess Rubin’s touch didn’t feel uncomfortable. I even felt the longing to press my head against her hand to receive more of that familiar warmth.
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