Chapter 108
A few hours before Duren met his first mother again—early dawn.
Duren suddenly opened his eyes while the sky was still dim.
“Mom! Mom!”
“……”
“Mom!”
“……”
“Mooommy!”
Even before sunrise, Duren shook Estelle awake.
“Mommy’s awake…” she murmured drowsily.
“Let’s go to the toy shop right now! Please? Please?”
“Duren, it’s five in the morning. The shop isn’t even open yet.”
Estelle couldn’t fully open her heavy eyelids. She hugged him tightly.
“Then we’ll go as soon as it opens?”
“Yes… but now let’s sleep some more…”
Snoooze—
Estelle fell back asleep like she fainted.
In her arms, Duren clutched his toy tightly.
It was the newest weapon for Pinkmyong—the Star Magic Wand!
He had just received it last night as a present.
The thought of playing with friends using this new toy made his heart pound with excitement.
He stayed wide awake, eyes sparkling, until morning came.
Breakfast Time
“Mom!”
“You need to eat breakfast first.”
Lennox was already awake in his office before Duren came running.
Half-asleep Estelle brought the energetic boy to the dining room.
“Chew properly and finish everything.”
“Okay! Okay!”
Duren ate everything on his plate, except for the broccoli, which he pushed aside as always.
“Mom!”
“Now that you’re done, time to brush your teeth.”
Brush, brush. Spit.
“Come here. Let me wipe the sleep out of your eyes.”
Splash splash.
“Mom! Dudu is done!”
Duren’s patience finally ran out.
He suddenly dashed toward the door to go outside.
“Duren! Wait!” Estelle called.
“Look… in front of you—”
Before she could finish, Duren ran straight into Lennox.
Bump!
He almost fell on his bottom, but Lennox caught him and lifted him up.
“Breakfast was earlier than usual today.”
“Dudu’s going to the toy store! I’m gonna play Mini-Mew with my friends!”
“Ah, I see.”
Looking at Duren’s excited face, Lennox quickly understood.
“Going with your mother?”
“Yes!”
“Then I’ll come too.”
Lennox was worried about Estelle.
Vera Bellonsa could appear at any time, and he didn’t know what she might do.
She’s always pushing herself even though she’s unwell…
He glanced at Estelle, worried she might break if the wind blew too hard.
Noticing his gaze, Estelle looked puzzled.
“Yay! Daddy too!” Duren shouted.
“Yes. Let’s go.”
Even inside the carriage, Duren was too excited to calm down.
“Mommy, guess what? Pinkmyong has a new power now, and then…”
He chattered endlessly until they reached the toy shop Clover.
Even though it was early, Clover was already crowded with kids and their parents.
The kids looked thrilled, while the parents all looked tired.
“Hmph!”
Duren snorted with excitement, clutching the star wand tightly.
“Mom and Dad will sit here and watch you. If anything happens, come find us, okay?”
Estelle warned as he was about to run off.
Thud.
Duren dropped his wand.
“Mom?”
“Yes? What’s wrong?”
Something was strange.
“Mom…my.”
“Duren? Mommy’s right here.”
Estelle picked up the wand and gave it back to him.
But Duren wasn’t looking at her—he was looking somewhere else.
And he whispered, “Mom.”
Estelle turned her head.
A woman stood there.
“Mom,” Duren muttered again.
And Estelle instantly understood.
That woman was Duren’s first caregiver—the one who raised him before he became the dog, Dudu.
The Encounter
Should we leave? Estelle wondered.
But Duren hadn’t done anything wrong.
Before she decided, the woman hesitantly walked over.
“Hello… you’re Lady Winteren, right?”
“Yes,” Estelle replied coldly.
“You must be here with your family. I came to buy a toy for my child. What a coincidence, haha.”
She gave an awkward laugh.
“Tia, do you know her?” Lennox asked.
“No. First time I’ve seen her,” Estelle answered firmly.
The woman blushed with embarrassment.
“I—I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Isolde Mowin.”
Mowin.
Estelle remembered the name from the list she’d found at Spike Hill’s laboratory.
So she really was Duren’s first family.
The ones who adopted a dog that would never grow, and even had his vocal cords removed so he couldn’t bark.
Estelle clenched her fists in anger.
But suddenly Isolde went pale.
Why? Estelle hadn’t done anything.
Then she heard Duren’s voice.
“Daddy, don’t.”
He tugged on Lennox’s sleeve and shook his head.
“What did I do?” Lennox asked stiffly.
“You’re glaring at her.”
“That’s just how my face looks.”
“No, it’s different. Stop it.”
“……”
“She’s scared…”
Duren desperately tried to protect Isolde.
Lennox sighed.
“Son, the adults have things to discuss. Go play with your friends.”
“No!”
“You begged to come since dawn. Why not play now?”
Duren shook his head, worried Lennox would hurt Isolde.
Estelle thought back to what Duren had once asked her:
[Mom, when Dudu grows up, will you hate him too?]
How could he defend someone like this?
She locked him away in the dark. She made sure he would never speak. She abandoned him.
And yet—he still tried to protect her.
Estelle almost blurted out the words stuck in her throat.
Isolde’s Offer
“I—I must have been very rude,” Isolde said nervously.
Estelle had imagined her as a cruel, heartless monster.
But in reality, she looked weak, timid, and fragile—like someone who couldn’t hurt anyone.
“Lady Mowin,” Estelle said flatly.
“Yes?!”
“I don’t understand why you came to greet me. We have no connection.”
“O-oh! I just never had the chance before. I’ve always wanted to be close to Lady Winteren!”
“Close to me?”
“Yes! I have a child I worked very hard to have. He’s unwell, so he couldn’t come today…”
“You… have a child?”
“Yes, yes!”
Her face lit up when she spoke of her son.
“He’s such a sweet boy. I think he and your little one would be great friends. And it would be nice for mothers to get along too.”
She looked at Duren.
“That’s a Mini-Mew wand, isn’t it? My son loves those too! He’s three years old, so your boy would be his big brother.”
But before she could get closer, Lennox stopped her cold.
“Don’t touch him.”
“E-excuse me?”
“Don’t touch my son.”
The air turned icy.
Thinking Lennox was just overly strict, Isolde forced a laugh.
“Ah, right! Actually, I heard some good news about you, Lady Winteren, so I bought a gift.”
“Good news?” Estelle asked.
Before they could react, Isolde hurried off and quickly returned.
“Here! I hope you like it.”
She handed over a bouquet of lavender and baby’s breath.
The scent spread instantly.
But Estelle smelled something else—a musty, ominous smell she remembered from those who were destined to die.
The day of my first wedding…
At fifteen, she had carried a bouquet exactly like this.
Her stomach turned.
“Congratulations on your pregnancy,” Isolde said.
“…What?”
“…Excuse me?”
Pregnancy?
Estelle and Lennox both stared in shock.
“Mommy, are you having a baby?” Duren whispered weakly.
In his red eyes, Estelle saw a heavy despair that no child should carry.
“Then… I can’t stay anymore?”
“No, no… That’s not it. I—”
She wanted to say she wasn’t pregnant.
But the sight of the bouquet dragged up painful memories.
[P-please, don’t! Stop it!]
She could almost feel those dry, bony hands choking her again.
Her head spun.
“Tia,” Lennox said, holding her shoulder.
Estelle stood frozen, staring at the flowers.
Blood dripped from her nose.
Then—
“Tia!”
“Lady Winteren!”
Estelle collapsed.
Isolde panicked and tried to rush toward her.
But she couldn’t.
Grrrrrr—
Duren bared his fangs and blocked her, growling fiercely.
