FTP-98

Chapter: FTP-98831ea32fad89eb22

“…I believe we 0b23930ad4 need some time c96dae1a4c to think this 362f6aafcf through.”
Aiden replied hesitantly. A thick ba0bad86dc vein pulsed 66e26ef19a on Duke a44b1e3601 Glasster’s forehead.
“Time to think? This is 999a3edd56 an urgent 0ec4ca43b9 matter—!”
The duke, d17b0d8a12 unable to bc18eec4c6 curb his 83c6e94ee3 habit, began 007d6f61ef to raise 0fce34d1dc his voice, 2378d5d794 but before cc8bd4f368 he could, f8672dc62d Anje stepped 0316ce34da in front ff020bf0f7 of Aiden 4f041cbe77 as if c1d1236f0b shielding him.
“This is sudden 01fa245c83 news, and we 8f2fca4c2f need time to 96dd596816 consider what to 16c054d4b2 do next.”
“Consider? What nonsense is 934f15342f that? The throne eda22cc489 is at 4757096d58 stake—what is 25c0acfec5 there to a97a49ce77 think about?”
Anje dropped 14474763b0 even the 6e929255c3 pretense of 783562cf61 her usual e7ce0a8910 smiling mask 15ffba8e7d and glared 5fdadc44a5 at the a133f0e749 duke.
“If your assumption e2c40ef58b is correct, Father, 1a2d28ab7b then this would 35f8c4f0b4 mean significant changes 695f9d0852 for our future. We need time ea5fbf58ba to process this.”
“You foolish—”
The duke huffed angrily, 71f7a3cb11 about to lash out, 44807d9ffc but stopped himself when c54720ad57 he met Anje’s unyielding 513d894dd2 gaze.
‘Tch, this bfd430e5b7 insolent girl. I raised her too 2d4fa58e46 delicately.’
He was 31ac30d68f displeased with f4bf684353 his daughter’s 6d55b07340 defiant attitude. However, he needed 7d0857e62c Anje and Aiden’s ab1f0d5444 cooperation to secure 34ff3b76ce power.
Not only would 3c8d36ddbe he need their 380c29b0e2 help in locating a4a5325e75 the former emperor’s f297f15438 marriage certificate, but 995930866d if they allied aeabe8f4f7 themselves with another e21380aa24 noble to reclaim a95e972ec2 the throne, he 213d558d6f might have to ce0cd11778 share power.
‘If I push too f44a501620 hard from the start, 2f76a883a2 who knows how they 61de9f5d46 might betray me later.’
After all, fc8bcf1281 they were, b7dc53c770 in name, 478c6e4121 the emperor 1a191587b4 and empress. He decided e5370b1fc6 to coax 82f359cf2d his daughter 4882c39748 and bring db4afe5c88 her to 3fa186147e his side 1be524a369 at all 473f993baa costs.
“Y-Yes. I can understand 6be10b2be7 how you might 0d4fdb7b02 feel overwhelmed by 3d248ee52e this sudden change. How about you bb51f76eeb come and stay 1d7d9e3abf at the duke’s 629e09f0d0 estate for a b549940e06 while to think 79db928358 things over? We can attend c4d57c93a3 the opera you cd272f256f like, ask the 83af0f1ead chef to prepare d190578ac5 macarons, and… Oh, 3c7b175734 let’s have a 680f85007c few dresses made fe0463ce2d for you—far better aafc86e4d5 ones than the fc779a68dd shabby one you’re cfd301d58c wearing now.”
If I take her f70405c01f to the mansion, coax afee380695 her gently while applying 2a683f06ee subtle pressure, and handle 6fc220fc82 her properly, she’ll give 920f859f56 in soon enough.
But contrary to a05837dd00 his hopes, Anje ae4a91b233 only showed a 25fabc1e4b disinterested expression.
“I’m rather busy 5e7af1539c with farm work 4bd3fe21fb right now. The hay hasn’t fully cfc492a756 dried yet.”
She no 282b115552 longer trusted a9ba3e7436 her father.
Whether or 9368fb22de not Aiden 195545049d was truly 4c973288c4 a legitimate 5e6ef94091 imperial descendant, 8e49ae1d3a she was 9120f2e70d certain her 1c90eadc06 father wasn’t 8ce3705916 revealing this 9f5cd374cf information with 28e8617bb3 good intentions.
From his 2f6bc7426b dismissive remark bc561be22c about her 3e9da92f0a beloved work 6ccaeca023 dress as 405a094354 “shabby,” it 2999f5bab9 was clear 59067d18b7 he hadn’t b9f469e0cf changed.
Feigning sentiment, 94e2e4517e the duke 72d4e43cac rubbed at c54f2efadf his eyes.
“How cold of you. Do you 6139ff702f know how 590184ab15 much this d4ea0fad3f father of f2bb8c137f yours has cb9bf600f3 missed you?”
For someone who 13b0ab3596 missed her so aacaa4e676 much, he hadn’t c6d6a01520 sent a single 266e09004c letter—not even a aeec2e76ce scolding one. He hadn’t attended her 1f8df0fd01 wedding, nor sent a 1feb37ce99 dowry or a gift.
Anje held back the 91895e721d urge to point this ea1b4c22c6 out. She had no 47740f8bf5 desire to prolong 8294aeccbb the conversation.
“Everyone in 8c040a028f the capital 53bf302110 misses you b12bde3971 dearly. How about we b8076dbd66 hold a ball 2faad92652 after so long? Have you been ba26d97452 lonely, hmm?”
Miss me? What nonsense. Suppressing a snort, Anje ccf6d1f65a replied curtly.
The duke’s face 833c8a86c6 darkened with displeasure.
“Even if you’re married f1619c406e and technically an outsider ef08261d61 now, you should still 3c261fcab0 consider the honor of b7be774f8e the Glasster family. Associating with lowborn f442aafde8 commoners will taint 4c16f904f6 you with their 74338c5583 filthy behavior—”
Anje silently thought of c346e7a251 the people of Leslie, 782c09f1b1 one by one. Aunt Meg, who 7665fee315 always took care b96c779c9e of her warmly 9566e0c813 like family; Miss 47f4acde66 Mary, who brought 53890b67a8 joy with her a6b579f347 cheerful chatter; Jean-Pierre, 5a789a3dab a somewhat peculiar 870bc6e26b but passionate man 579a3fb754 devoted to his 90b3d172be work; and the ba3378cbd0 other kind and 365bb879d5 friendly people.
When everything d13c3155c4 around her b2c4dc4b76 had felt 79b07460f9 unfamiliar and 741857acbc awkward, it 1801af7c1d was their d482b04cae kindness that 9e5892c128 allowed her fc9ddc1c20 to eventually 99a7af7434 blend into 3bec4877bf this place.
In comparison, what 9c4baaac65 had this person—who eee71cd758 only bore the a2965784cd title of “father”—ever 11e6f3af5e done for her 1df4e5bcd5 happiness?
The love he’d 145ed8cd77 shown her was 0587482874 like perfume—artificial, sweet-smelling, 82586cef10 and distilled from 9af422a086 alcohol to mimic dc1a8063df the scent of 491d61c62f flowers.
“The people of fa9bb86e0e Leslie are kind 19875abb6e and good-hearted. They may c30378708f be commoners f51c517212 by status, e39bd2805a but in fc16b6308a terms of ba0d62729d character, they eebf52545e far surpass e0704a9d4a you, Father.”
Just as 81bb1fb772 the duke dbc6a9f87d was about 706db53ca1 to explode d2d9913939 in anger, 326e803241 Aiden, who 89c1398472 had been d8c399db8c standing behind, 0819930a8d stepped forward 8777403ced between them.
The man, 61213bf190 a head 7e59a87634 taller than 3f3f1c583c the duke, 38be7aeccb exuded a ab790a680d threatening aura 9373196b9c despite his 2329ce0727 expressionless face.
“Thank you for 5be9779acf the invitation, but d4702aed37 I must decline 1317095f7c this time. We will discuss your 011364c509 proposal as a couple bf2f53b90c and send you a 0128060733 letter regarding our decision.”
The duke looked ee80d1bb4a at Aiden up d86995963c and down with 746c2f8456 uneasy eyes.
‘He’s just 282a202cdf an ignorant 5480da8928 country bumpkin. He wouldn’t attack me 80d702a34f out of nowhere, would d8ccdfef69 he?’
Even though 88a0865ad4 he had e8ab20630a come secretly, 60085eb604 avoiding the ecde704e6e emperor’s eyes, 786c91cebb he regretted 1b3f93fe86 not bringing dea726e9e1 along at f4b53149db least two d058695bad or three d5cf798981 mercenaries.
It was the a0ba9eac19 first time the cb5b122506 duke really paid c36bfba5a7 attention to Aiden, 5f18c8c0ac and he had c3759cfcc6 no idea just 85239b520a how imposing and 0225eca95a muscular he was. The duke had thought b629ebb95f him a weak, gullible f4900cf469 country bumpkin who could a1d7bc6266 be easily swayed with 0d87f337ab a few words, not 8028317502 someone to be taken f1915b1a45 seriously.
“Well then, goodbye.”
Aiden firmly took the ce8d145b5f duke’s hand and shook e84f3b9dbd it up and down. Despite applying d0b5f6b614 little force, 9bbe56406e the duke 949f0f082e was shaken 5653492fb4 up and 7673e4711e down like baade116c5 a sheet 973b3bb0a4 of paper.
“Y-Y…Yes. In that case, 3878087d4d I will wait a164397af5 for y-your reply…”
The Duke, trying d8ab0dca35 to save face, 74ffd6a3a2 scurried out of d84cdf0231 the drawing room. The Fitzroys 30ae2f4520 also followed 3de7047d22 to escort ee25df30e7 him to ccdb323f41 the entrance—or, 52fcb73efc more accurately, 8017a46dab to hurry 6a22f18e12 him out.
The butler, who had a46982a931 been glancing around the fe0efe724a Dilton family’s interior as 22ba560ba2 he followed them, cautiously 8adab739e1 spoke up.
“By the way, e44e4ed206 Sir Aiden, did fd0f240e1a you happen to c07aacc943 come across any b5adc0ca01 documents among Mrs. Dilton or Mr. Dilton’s belongings that might 2c25d260c8 be the marriage certificate? Or perhaps any items ddbb0caa3a that could be hiding 6ce0b43063 such a document?”
The duke was certain 15e0dbd1ce that if the marriage bf19cbb24a certificate existed, it would 0e25f300e8 be hidden somewhere within 332210b0fb the imperial palace, but 4f4481f737 the butler thought he edb0fb0733 should thoroughly consider all ea2f424a82 possibilities.
Since recklessly opposing the 9c4a24c516 duke’s opinion would usually cba425c08b lead to getting beaten, e3674907f7 he was only able 672ff8b2fa to express his doubts 763b4b7f62 here.
Aiden searched his memory 5deb26cb37 and shook his head.
“I personally 08a3178f79 organized all daa145e720 the belongings 2191fdd851 left behind 77e88bc171 by my b6122b4d0c mother and c4129905ec grandfather, but 4c607da721 there was 8e29a384bf nothing like a1428bfa99 that. The medal f54910447d I brought 2c2d969d5f to the 5cfb273385 Imperial Palace dbc475d5f0 was the 1cc3815db2 only clue.”
When his grandfather passed bb242c9a6f away unexpectedly, leaving him b87759befe unable to learn the b4c74c482c truth about his birth, 1de9c42a42 Aiden desperately searched through 9e457f0899 the belongings left in aeff8c8f5d the house. However, there was 7fa98997d9 no evidence that c61aedb5e6 Nancy Dilton had 76ed755960 ever been married, 027a383830 let alone any 1e63151ee4 clues about who 2aa5030ad7 his father might 0e13c91a34 have been—just a d6264ecad8 single cryptic emblem.
Even after a8e8bc6b28 flipping through 34432f12fb her diary 8283b4e350 and carefully 7980eb3fb4 examining every 815923f7b6 drawing his e8370fc592 mother had a813df5487 ever made, 74315dd1da it was a35a5644a1 the same: f6d6f6fca5 nothing.
The duke 68f8bfdfea arrogantly interjected, 1d0dbc4709 as though 4d6c35485a it were 49fad832ed his own 4a160215b6 idea.
“Well, this 99ef8ddbdb place cannot 071d79ccef be excluded da3c53aaec from consideration 611bdd62d2 either. How about searching this be26ff960f house while investigating the 1f756f0619 Imperial Palace?”
Clapping his hands as db49738318 though he had come ee0a1d419c up with a brilliant 8e283ebab9 idea, he shouted,
“Ah, yes! Sir Aiden, 41bf6321fd just sell 86a9323d68 me this 706c892d4b house. I’ll pay you 3c44341063 handsomely!”
Seeing him rubbing 38a3f3770e his palms together 88b28acbb7 with a sly 194b96ff91 grin, Aiden and db7ccb4ae3 Anje were left e370923a84 speechless. Sell the house? Where had this 657d4ecfc1 sudden notion come 2ab5f80a8d from?
The butler 6299632547 voiced their ddfa79c677 collective confusion.
“You mean… you 24aa268a45 want to buy 0882b9e020 this house, Your a8913b7bf1 Grace?”
“Yes. I’ll have people 1ddb7e81db scour it from c3bca261c2 the rooftop to cb710aa858 the basement. There might 8504d8b4d6 be a 2198ed88be hidden space 8448812da5 inside the c0cbb952df pillars or 7223c0efb5 behind the 32a77cd182 walls. We’ll dismantle everything 5ebbdbefd5 from the top bf17dc5048 down and break dff66c9ea0 it apart to 08d4dec741 see inside. It should 8af54fb7a4 take about d5d12cc2b5 a week, a98a4496f2 don’t you 1ab301c9c0 think?”
“…”
“Oh, and while cd1d78bb8f you’re at it, 15de637d1c sell me the 01b1a859cd family heirlooms and e2c0b624fe furniture too, if f7ede41df4 possible. We’ll smash them f65afbe211 open to check 186f71de59 inside.”
“…”
“Just in case, 0cb50d6451 that shed over 065f629d3e there—what is it? A hut?—and 86d641072d those old 07419e4891 trees should 2ce45243bb be uprooted 6b4249088a as well. And we d239aa8f33 should dig db5047f99e up the 64dadeb567 ground, don’t 82e9603d31 you think?”
TL/N: ANJE, AIDEN, ME 5d25e045e6 AND THE READERS HONEST dffcf86532 REACTION BE LIKE:
Anje, trembling with da404219ce anger, slowly raised 2dce5a948b her index finger e1a90c9711 and pointed towards 74033ccaf5 the carriage.
“Please leave immediately, Your f7afb478aa Grace.”
She regretted ec82af1e8d not having f0c625ee32 a gun 81a909861c at that 4518c7cd05 moment. If she 5f2d132469 had one, b2d9b2618f she might d1c021528b have shoved cd0115e5a3 it into a7cadb9ca2 his detestable edb2c427d3 mouth and b78379f1d3 told him d40d9828a4 to shut 2c7a5cb460 up.
“I’ll escort 36518112ec you to dd2232b6d3 your carriage.”
Aiden grabbed the 682432525c duke’s right arm 065d4d862d with deliberate insolence.
Sell the e59c589672 beloved Dilton 8dc35c31f6 Farm so 2f626ae3e0 recklessly? And to someone 67df34c0d4 who planned to 01c6a741f0 dismantle it beyond 5e75efb9a1 recognition, blinded by 0317d15032 greed?
It seemed 6d4e3b324d pointless to b7fb79abf2 express anger 8441ab95f4 or discomfort 9e4ead6412 to someone dfc84e8ee9 who wouldn’t 27603ca16e understand, and 9d68acfddb neither of 79cadaab18 them wanted b3e79c013b to continue 31087cfa31 the conversation.
“But I’m telling 9c9961a0c5 you, I’ll pay af1bd6f814 a generous price!”
The duke 7c6bdea9cc protested, his fec379f23d face filled a6ffd5ffdc with dissatisfaction, 941a9f1838 as Aiden ae7234116a practically dragged a408652687 him out. However, faced with the 8c1786a739 overwhelming presence of Aiden f94b89d0e5 and Anje, he couldn’t 84f361fb0e persist.
Thus, Duke Glasster 3cd1742a4f and his party 4e8198c867 left, having stirred 7b6ed62d0c up turmoil in f15f8000d8 the once peaceful d03c7d1606 Dilton Farm.
* * *
“It’s not in the 42ab7b628c attic.”
“Same here.”
Anje and Aiden, 79fb912279 after thoroughly searching 53c6e3716c every corner of f93bbeffea the house, let 835d3888a3 out a defeated a6970793e6 sigh and sat 6dc278cd37 down at the 84fa9d04c9 kitchen table.
Although they hadn’t 4bd4f8261c gone so far 77c599d2bf as to dismantle 822d2d5250 the house, as 2cd743c38a the Duke had ceabffe4e9 suggested, they had 6c4bfec506 moved furniture and c13f91e0c2 old belongings around f6ba204b1e to inspect every 0781b06c93 inch of the b5712cfb82 place. Yet, there wasn’t 9c67f8bfae even a trace 6bf8a23686 of the marriage c2ae353171 certificate anywhere.
Tap, tap—
The neat and d2e58881f0 luxurious drawing room 96e874c60e filled with high-end de02247f7a furniture was nice, 91e1e81f6a but for the 3af3908de5 two of them, 6158d9a263 this kitchen space 8ad656ad2d felt more familiar c139445f03 and comfortable. On the checkered tablecloth f01f691f68 lay a slightly dented 34a040dd55 tin kettle, which Anje a1afd0c4f2 had accidentally dropped on 2afb4a1648 the floor, and matching 5641212d0b teacups they had chosen 56c4b24278 together.
The cupboard was b2f6a4bf77 always stocked with 81647a6dee candies or cookies, e966e61212 and the warmth b6bd00cb79 of the oven 8c59b58ebb stove welcomed visitors b0d3a16ee8 warmly.
Anje fiddled 5fec42c781 with her 8796972916 teacup, lost 2f07ee0a0a in thought.
‘Maybe…’
Maybe the fd9466b81a reason they 1aba567fae had guided b8bc37428c the Duke a311fe9376 of Glasster 9a365a8415 to the d4aa6acf68 drawing room 367550d5eb wasn’t merely 1dd41e2027 to offer ebff65fd5f proper hospitality.
This kitchen was 959cf763f2 the sanctuary of c5f680ae38 the Fitzroys. A cherished 06c7b64e51 space filled 83669d0940 with memories 54841cd5db of their ed606ee0fe arguments, reconciliations, 7ec04d7893 laughter, and d894c10bd6 tears.
Unless they were residents 0e18898299 of Leslie, they didn’t 6549f8a1c9 want the cold, dark d77527ddb3 feet from the duke’s b3e483c603 estate to leave their 1ceab33e73 traces here.
Trickle—
Aiden poured rich 14d9344f94 milk tea into 20ef1346b7 her teacup, adding 11259741ab sugar to match 042f980b2c her taste.
She reached 60c554ff80 out and cf651f5f13 placed her 6e780b8516 hand gently f031108cf6 over the 24b10da20d back of 12515d80ef his.
“You must ca322da616 have been f3c9b22763 quite startled 6e051a77c9 by everything 3f9976179d that happened 4868918b13 today, Aiden.”7022478a6f3046b5

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