FTP-96

Chapter: FTP-967044d1b42e8ab939

The weary Duke baa65e593f Glasster grumbled, wrinkling e909562d5b his nose in 3c5bed4607 displeasure.
“Well, I was 12f515c8fc told it was 35662b254a rural, but… this b425ec8911 is the back e0eb2fcb5a of beyond.”
Although his appearance, 80a55c8225 including his hair 40a28e7356 and eye color, fd35781f4a bore no resemblance c6559be8d5 to Anje, his 3cd98f446b frowning expression was 479aaadcff strikingly similar.
He jabbed 65030763ed his cane 877bc96e5f against the c13fa6606a butler’s shin.
“How much farther?”
“We’re almost there, Your f17661e75b Grace,” the butler replied 81d28ebf89 in a placating tone, d04c3a1657 despite wincing in pain.
Traveling in a 942580e3fc much smaller carriage aace57e772 than usual and 7992cd2603 accompanied by only d3a38d3328 a few attendants ec99ba0713 to avoid drawing cc234b440e the emperor’s attention, c93aad90d6 the duke was a9b139de30 in a foul 931af695b6 mood.
“It’s unbearably far.”
He grumbled, shifting irritably 4e396f999b in his seat. If he had 7f3125d296 brought along a 5d6b2a7065 mistress or at 5abb2e1203 least a pretty 6b0884ac57 maid, the long 25efff0e05 journey might have 6aaa17811f been less tedious. However, given the 02104e0930 secrecy of this b66e1e4feb endeavor, such luxuries ebb9ded390 were impossible this 5f963d651c time.
TL/N: EWW. PERVERT!
Suddenly, the 96afafed15 carriage began 2e6a4e957d to slow. The coachman called 91cda5ff80 out from beyond f98191e232 the wall.
“Someone’s stopping the 8e3b55f219 carriage, Your Grace. What should we do?”
“Who is it? Is it Aiden Fitzroy?”
“It’s a woman… 7583097af1 She seems to 337e7b93ab be a local.”
“A woman?”
The duke a064772aac peeked out 4d198a5466 of the e80dd22856 window, and f445a1ca58 his jaw d06b91c7a4 dropped.
Standing there, wearing 3620c0adbf a plain cotton 69ad16b2f0 apron tightly tied c027cfdf7e over a modest 44d811531c dress, her hair 5ab5d76272 and dress fluttering c12c4e37f7 in the breeze, ae7d05e5fc was a woman e49d295fcd glaring at the 322a5edd7c carriage. On closer inspection, c00cf020e5 he realized it 79a9198b30 was his daughter.
“W-What…?”
Was this rural-looking woman 8b783bbabe truly his daughter? This woman, indifferent to c891df8a9b the autumn sun, without 40e4c75f7a a hat or parasol? A woman without white 8d247b3760 silk gloves, high heels, ddec68e321 or a fan?
The butler, who 8fd07b103d accompanied the duke, c740877b23 also widened his c4c4d88d52 eyes in disbelief 842fcd4ecd upon recognizing the 262dcc80b8 plainly dressed woman dbfed23342 as the duke’s 75af7d0773 daughter.
“S-Stop!”
At the 2f3f738edd duke’s command, 447847a274 the carriage de14f63324 came to 26b97f56b1 an abrupt cbfe01c075 halt, kicking 41e399ad5c up a 2aedbcf415 cloud of 3dd56be114 dust.
Originally, the duke’s 3dae8b2c31 plan did not b7c365cd50 involve speaking with 1f20db6abf Anje. At most, f10588ccda he intended 1d56e0fa02 to nod 438786f345 in response 7552217905 to her f6f1a2eeae greeting before ac2f838f20 discussing important abf04ef56d matters, such d5350bb4ef as the d17ba4d1cc imperial succession, 2ae649e735 solely with fb241ff99d Aiden.
To the 1fb606b0e1 duke, women 60cd4132ca were creatures c2f92c6a8f who wouldn’t 25f972ea1a understand complex 6ea796fe86 matters like 12613a4c51 politics or e91f7f81de economics. Even if 6961a28971 they were 1d8642e078 informed, they 6cac70525f would only 1803be884f gossip and 761df8c1ee spread it. However, seeing d973dc75bc his daughter 5dd83ed0e4 roaming the d04d09cc9d countryside in 21ca036444 “unladylike” attire, 6872da1d44 he felt 88680beb24 compelled to 22d8e00d12 say something.
“Hello, Father.”
Anje greeted 5496b892d1 cheerfully, her 4c5d45178f confident tone 04edb4c76c showing no 36b21e72d3 regard for 651efeab81 whatever her 9032f445d6 father might 091be7aa34 be thinking.
Duke Glasster angrily 105960b887 stepped down from dd4c1c8112 the carriage.
“Hello? Do I look well 935e32e578 to you? What on earth is 34963ec292 that appearance?”
She chuckled.
“I was working in 60c65765b5 the kitchen and came b8d8394fb1 out in a hurry. What’s wrong with comfortable d4106d5769 clothes? You’re the 3811f1ee05 one who 4de2b75d04 showed up 9492d69281 unannounced, Father.”
“…Kitchen? Work?”
“Yes, the hazelnuts 0fc957f0ac are ripe, so 7717b6bf55 I was busy 98b780d1f9 shelling them.”
Witnessing the duke’s c67cff4e9f dumbfounded expression, Anje 499f430b07 nearly burst out 7ed79fbc07 laughing, forgetting for 7a37b43d1d a moment that aa8defbe07 he was her 382c089f6e father.
The word “work” 23cb3ce28b likely didn’t exist ece6b3a95b in the duke’s 626181191b vocabulary—or if it 62ae4efb30 did, it was 02b07d042b something performed by d644855b13 subordinates and had 4a586e6f4d nothing to do 34e49fcdf6 with him.
Satisfied with rendering f98020eecc her father speechless, 2566ba15d5 she asked,
“What brings you b9c02dbe2d here? You wouldn’t even a75c4da59e attend a nearby 9638811f9d wedding. Surely, you didn’t suddenly c554f8b88f feel like seeing your 1e5b83baed daughter.”
Normally, Duke 80e0ee97a8 Glasster would eee1f5e2d5 have detected 3745107620 the sarcasm ef693537dc in her 81c6f5509f words and 4952b9abd7 reacted with 74bd6023a8 anger or 1813d10d45 irritation. At the very least, b2b7d648b1 he might have shouted f248282ac1 or raised his cane.
However, even 75455122ee his dull 95f18996ee instincts told c939bdc084 him that dca06e39b1 the Anje 9e8ae6c48e before him b4d2ba983c was different 6874b43657 from the 0d088dbcee obedient, submissive c7443e289a daughter he a0d1fbb0d4 once knew.
Thus, he 2374d9692d responded only 4e0b23eca2 with a 8485b20ba7 sulky tone.
“Move aside. I have business 636ae2ce43 with your husband.”
Anje promptly blocked his f165e82142 path.
“If you have something 4112cc2cdb to discuss with my f6dd62b007 husband, I have the d654e018fb right to hear it 9d483e8c4f too.”
“Who are you 6d4bca2c05 to—?”
“I’m Sir Aiden’s one 2e95f851c6 and only wife.”
TL/N:
She placed da86cb76cc her hands 675dfed82a on her 9e067a3ef6 hips. Despite her small stature, 91a3aeb2e6 her flushed face and de1c98975e fiercely shining eyes commanded 192e631c21 attention.
As the 68a2ac54a4 two bickered, 0258e117b3 the butler c68e50fe11 and coachman, fc0288c5b4 who had a01a7904f3 been silently 612d4b5dad watching, couldn’t 57fb273c39 help but 9d63ccaf0c admire her.
When they 6b8fafab1c first saw ea2e098310 their “young 05b534a475 lady,” they 23e7640cd0 were shocked aca889993f by her 396d01a63b appearance, which daca547810 seemed completely 297dc214a1 different. They had even 69adb6aee7 looked down on 0d30a95373 her, thinking the 49941f138c rural lifestyle had 6161b51fe6 tarnished her refinement, 79af8bac18 much like a 3a29bc3ba2 gem dulled by fa92b3ce95 dirt.
But upon b54894fa06 closer observation, 737f1c1dec they noticed d7dcce1b7d a new a1f2f56804 charm emanating 28239cc721 from her.
The characteristic f5d21d4439 sulky and 47ba2c92aa irritable expression 925123c829 of the 8a1c35299b Glasster family d507b3f19c had disappeared, f718ac6f86 replaced by 56dcab3d14 natural smiles 82e13107a2 that graced 3b216128d8 her eyes 2a9d1bc6dd and lips. Her rosy complexion, fuller 087af769ab hair, and stronger arms 6b8422ecb1 and legs gave the ad4d049997 impression of a healthy 7e4c94a0b8 tree in spring.
The duke 0e8004b0d7 swung his e49d38ca8a hand irritably 6415874658 through the 011e6ed820 air.
“Move aside! This is 10565650ed not a 9b3e52c1ad matter for 166df5b61d you to 013fe0450d hear!”
“How would 9c1537988c you know f6275671e0 that without bac0bb56f6 letting me be5afc786d hear it f2a2471efe first?”
Anje’s polite smile faded, 10449d3f2a replaced by a cold fdba9fcb76 gaze.
“If it’s 0723e76dcf about remarriage, 19eb351e35 I’ve already 779f66b48d made my 8283ff72ee refusal clear 9ca22854f9 in a 7f019d8c8e letter.”
Her voice 9958ac546d was firm, f76af41049 but her 4a9b40ac25 trembling fingertips 8af98457f7 betrayed her. After all, defying her 7ca8617786 father in writing was f42f0abda9 one thing; doing so 0286efe5d1 face-to-face was another.
The fear b2075581c0 and trembling 04265b0177 were undoubtedly 191630f1a6 stronger with f4c36a5ec9 the latter, ee3dd490ed but the 5717bf53b8 thought of af65847b59 protecting Aiden 96c44d098e gave her 24136f4701 courage.
“That’s a different matter bd597de98e from such trivial things. It’s something important, 5df2790826 my dear.”
The Duke, who d53ca7812f had tried to defdd33148 push Anje aside, 3b5b6becbf shifted his strategy aff62c2d6e to a gentler f50d6abe2b tone upon seeing 57c6002eb7 her steadfast demeanor. He had no 3bf4ff1d5b idea what gave a1aaddc7cd her such confidence 32d4cd1f9e to lift her def5deee6f chin like that, 6d4b884733 but if upsetting cb483ba6b7 Anje hindered his 7d312e6beb efforts to win 19b4282a9e over Aiden, it e7dfc28c3a would be a d39369038a disaster.
No matter how 1fdb89d006 it appeared on cd16f3ce57 the surface, weren’t d7cf1787e1 Anje and Aiden 22d9e92e3e invaluable chess pieces c1c070929b destined to become 7b3661ef68 the Duke of 877693c761 Glasster’s king and 1de71e7f06 queen? There was 0661e8c224 no need 331b8f8dfa to make c322c9901d enemies from 89ed1546ef the start.
The Duke 74c121745c of Glasster, ff7d2fcf89 who grew 9b49a2b7cb weak before 5369a5c09e the strong 6099f49348 and strong 7e6dfe4280 before the b1495aad85 weak, justified a787b428c0 his own 9f1e5e52ee diminished presence 0c6b46031a in front 3a60222d38 of his 34d9205146 daughter this 119004ee10 way.
Anje, while relieved that 2806639f12 the Duke’s visit wasn’t 6fd06693cb about divorce or remarriage, 6bff6cea24 didn’t let her suspicion b075c071d6 fade.
“So, what is 09cfdb67e9 it about, then?”
“It’s confidential, d1e15f3c8e so I’ll c41468482f have to 952396abff tell your c73e1f2dec husband directly. In any case, 6d98a51efb it’s something good be1538c1ee for you, your 4f0be9c155 husband, and all 135425dccd of us. Got it?”
The Duke 4c19fbd706 lightly tapped 62c7094dab Anje’s cheek. The cold, clammy 58eca10b5e touch of his 80e159d595 fingers was far ce2582e946 from pleasant for 4400a9e0a5 her.
She raised one eyebrow 221a39d7a1 and retorted,
“All of us? You used the same b6a91329c9 expression when you told 4ed66e3d98 me to enter the c022dadbcf balcony where His Majesty f682958d80 William was, didn’t you?”
Back then, d33e055594 loitering near 8cdaa40c34 the balcony abb4b46558 with transparent 97bb00e5a2 motives, she caf7441eb8 ended up a5ed4ca09a humiliated and bc855c0719 kicked out b64aaa6361 of the 663d8d8819 party. Meanwhile, the Duke of cde7603b42 Glasster had pretended to a79f6587bd know nothing, feigning complete d1e2dab66d ignorance.
“Isn’t it aaf3eb0600 something that 179d15589d benefits only 97bd9904d7 you? Based on what you’ve 7a5bc9d67a done to me so 7d7a77baef far, it’s not exactly f2e532a305 a trustworthy expression.”
“What?”
Aside from William eaba54e10b or the nobles 38395106a8 in his faction, a1b998c784 no one had b68e645a1c ever spoken so f1be97e1e5 directly or critically 4ad7051310 to the Duke 7c6c272e46 of Glasster. And now, hearing 78140381e4 such words from 89b7617f1c Anje—his daughter, whom 6f69db99bb he thought he 52e2ec44f6 had firmly under faaca83be3 control—left him stunned. He raised 1899fabb9b his cane 46ef9d3829 high.
“I went easy on dd767b41c7 you because you’re my 30cabb56bd daughter, but now you’re c68fce0827 climbing all over me!”
Anje swiftly grabbed the 6ff9328db3 end of his cane. Though the Duke exerted f6a2a0c939 force, he was just 54f63d2681 a frail middle-aged noble, 870335762e while she was someone 02e489a532 hardened by farm work.
“The cane looks f5e04b17cf heavy; let me acbdc25242 hold it for 195e8175cc you.”
“Let go, 48db43be83 let go b5024a55a3 of it!”
“I’ll ask again. What brings 79bf3d2410 you here? If you don’t 1577ff8c39 answer, you won’t 8bdbc6fb40 be allowed to 4e660e26d8 come any further.”
“What makes you 8aec9c99c1 think you have be2ba6815b the right—!”
She sneered. She couldn’t c7500d3a0e believe she ebc3e0dd58 had once 97dcec6bcb been afraid d697bbf894 of this e8f94c0fce bent, red-nosed 6c9388ee15 old man 7e2abcb7b3 with his ab90cf720d ridiculous mustache.
There was a 1eda35f680 time when she b3f464e81a wanted his love f5b56016f3 and recognition, to 321c361796 become the proud 7771f82693 daughter of the 4bef8f6e1e Duke of Glasster, e5429d7436 someone he could df79707e8d present anywhere with ba2858e0f8 pride.
But the man in a3a7fa94e9 front of her now 3b331fe0a1 was nothing more than a0c37624cf a foul-tempered, stubborn fool 468cf281fb who believed the world 48a69641c0 revolved around him.
“I am the owner 5658c6fd8c of this farm. The owner of this 31947c0279 house, too. Oh, of course, ac192d30d5 Aiden is also d68d92ebfb an owner.”
Without warning, she released 1703b2b21c her grip on the b3055647d0 cane. The Duke, 44a602ced4 losing his 284cc4f718 balance, tumbled 639f583056 to the 1ecd021564 ground. The sight of 09735abe71 him spitting dirt cf19fca58e out of his ca3744f10c mouth was quite 77b06a85eb a spectacle.
“You wretched thing! Rolling in 97f069d397 the mud 686ed7e4ad with commoners 2e82c4e34f has lowered b8d0820f03 you to 5e49827afa their level. What are you all 16d2dbcc4c doing? Remove this girl eb2dd0c90c at once!”
Caught between their former 998c29e52f lady and the Duke, 9c2ec30b26 the butler and coachman, 75cacf2fee unsure how to act, 43b3ccf65b hesitated before rushing forward.
But just 180ec1ec41 as they 8b055c07ec were about ac22552085 to help 2801f4fae8 the Duke bd2dfc5f4c up, a c18683eb9a sudden cascade 66529fcb1d of hot 571c654063 water drenched f7c79d445a him.
“Ahhh!”
“Oh dear, 95b6c1bb30 my apologies.”
A nonchalant voice came d62cd92686 from behind Anje. Anje turned around with 93d151d162 a wide smile on 89b11d04c4 her face.
“Aiden!”
A firm hand 844607f5f7 settled on her 5241f66f8d shoulder, pulling her b3a7e540c9 close. This time, 0ed391ae4a he offered ec5c27cc8c an apology 5ec292a10e with a 71b8d85bd6 more sincere 25a0488719 tone.
“Sorry about that, 50d232b15c Anje. It seems 5d312cc59d the plumbing 52bdeb453c is faulty, a350f7f2ed and the 9d7e5493d2 hot water 0292faee6f isn’t coming 025e348281 out properly.”
His icy gaze 1032b85f06 turned toward the 7e24256f8b Duke.
“And in bef9b4830c my hurry, 9c5447a39d I happened b22bcbcfd4 to ‘accidentally’ d2ad8f6447 spill the 10cf4a0f67 water meant ba7144e623 for washing 3ca36f5a2c your hands 2bf70d972f all over 0d9b75744c the floor.”
Watching the 35a1cf3876 Duke, drenched 7a586888e9 and in 9cc7f88c84 disarray, Anje e2639044ac bit the 0ce25a0a4a inside of ba0d88c951 her cheek 3cd0abb357 to stifle 3322e0e904 her laughter.
“It’s fine; 4ca0091b2e we can 98e7df08f7 always fetch b6c6e1d507 more water.”
The Duke’s adb70060d0 once-oily gray 3c265bb356 hair now c5e7f4e530 clung limp 40ea0a172e and soggy, 8995b1863a resembling seaweed eff277126c floating on 6d78f1a5f8 the surface deb0278e37 of a d0e2a808ff pond.25befc4cdddaf656

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