19. Duke’s Women

“Are you pregnant?”49149dbd090e848e

Pfft.e370bede6170edc7

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I spat out 787fc7aafd the tea I 01cb99f131 had in my 4afc2f2ba1 mouth.5d1e869eac270d6f

The teacup 35825aeef5 rolled off 95a01b53f2 the table, e837013f78 and the 7bd5894cd6 tea leaves cfb829b7c7 scattered in b2bc87d6fd every direction. Without even thinking f789698ceb of wiping my 89fe8b4d27 wet apron, I 8bbcf02d6d stared blankly at f0e67a605a her.5c91d6229c48d04f

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It was an uncivilized reaction, but I couldn’t regain my composure after hearing such an uncivilized remark.5185b84dddeba876

“W-What did you say?”55daded01a76c947

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“It seems like you’re very surprised. I apologize.”3497b9f687c07de5

“Here, use this to wipe it off,” the marchioness next to me said, handing me a handkerchief.a52d89b761d1b487

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Had I ee1995b3b7 acted in 706f13db07 a way 38ba4785d5 that could 93b9f4038b be so c21cd74425 easily misunderstood 7f06a1eebb by Deon? We never 3e7c76b87e fought, so 54a7343e9a how did 7639cf3946 this rumor 28a59d7b53 start?b9e45749d4a97e37

“How did that story spread?” I asked, still bewildered.18b754f247bcadbb

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“Well, I didn’t hear it myself,” she replied and nudged the young lady next to her.39fbe0f3917b73f8

“To be honest, I overheard your conversation. I heard something about the Duke’s blood being in your veins…”b6488220cbbd1c2a

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“Ah… that.”0ed1726017c37093

I was 81469adcef at a 3bc2ec6bdf loss for 3d57e03587 words. How was I supposed ef5b4e2c90 to explain that?6e1aa89eae31ead4

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The young a05f544bbd ladies exchanged cd45ccc214 glances, their 9fa1b2d19b curious eyes 09732ccf80 fixed on 05414eb47d me.4a4ca4d972d24d66

“Right? Then could it be that you’re the subject of the rumor?”ace60d4e6c374dd6

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“No! That’s not it,” I said, shaking my head desperately.f2e984c976affb00

“Are you really not?”d71f7b20d801f9f9

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“I don’t know what the rumor is, but absolutely not.”d196cf96b76fd247

“Then, you’re not pregnant either…”ac976c9961af5eae

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“Absolutely not!”9392edb1ae13199a

The young ladies fe9bec0021 looked disappointed by 9235e2e308 my firm denial. They withdrew their curious 422c685b1a gazes and picked up a229549c18 their teacups again.242c9240f487392a

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“I was rude. I’m sorry for startling you, Miss Sien.”bdea6634b294d1e0

“Then who is she? Since it was something the Madame of the Blue Shop said, it can’t be just a baseless rumor. What she says usually turns out to be true.”70c7177bbed863cf

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“I thought the protagonist of the rumor had finally appeared, especially since you’re the only unmarried Young Lady who was close to the Duke.”658e67385eff8e98

They began 7b844ddc49 chatting incessantly 5a5da7505d about the 2802de0355 talk surrounding a20fc61df8 the Duke’s 16763f9eaf household. Amidst the chatter, a 955aaa86c9 recurring phrase stood out—an 2a60adee52 empty rumor.6a4a31e2c2b04a25

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“… But what is that rumor exactly?” I asked.754f54cc215a84a7

“You don’t know?” one of them said, opening her fan and whispering cautiously. “It’s a rumor that the Duke has a lover.”5a59453452561697

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“Oh, I heard that too,” the Marquess’s wife added. “They say there’s a hidden mistress.”65bba18ac7ceb8f4

“Mistress?” I echoed.80c051ce622b9c31

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“Shh!”d8b65f0926c0ad7f

Without realizing, cb838c2d54 I raised 12532811ce my voice. The marchioness bc8b3e7345 put a 550d9ffaf4 finger to 6437f8833f her lips.efc1852456938f8d

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“It’s famous in the capital. Every editing shop repeats the same story. They say she never spares a glance at others and that she’s cunning enough to blend into the cold North. They say she has a nasty temper and an odd personality.”df522995ec1dc6a2

She fanned b2efc7827f herself dramatically.45a220f6a8f502c7

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Was such 80f8ce744f a woman b806043be1 really here?4159112b80f403e6

I thought back to 3e2bbb8f11 those who had visited 24717a28cc the duchy, but I b47437dcd2 couldn’t think of anyone 8fd9133e65 who fit that description.e715818408ea6534

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“Um… I heard a different rumor,” Young Lady Tani said timidly.f9be95eeee8c453b

“They say she’s making medicine.”11596c8f35a0e7bf

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“Medicine?” I stammered in surprise.1fffce42e6437e5b

“That’s why he’s holed up in the mansion. Think about it—why else wouldn’t he return to the capital? Even with the Emperor’s order. He could have left any time. And when I saw the Duke earlier, I thought the rumor might be true. That kind of physique… it’s not just from exercise.”cc6a9189506b893f

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Everyone laughed.fc976efc4aceae13

Lady Janice, unable to find humor in the joke, sighed deeply and muttered gloomily, “It doesn’t matter. It’s all so fantastic, isn’t it? Our husbands have never even held a knife. The only utensils they touch are forks.”daa7ad3eaae9a49f

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“Don’t be so upset, Lady Janice. Living in the capital is a blessing. Being a duke’s wife in the North sounds unbearable. Everything must be dull—except in bed,” someone joked.23a2f6ec82038535

I nearly spat 1c0e74c3c3 out my tea 0732679d7f again.30a79f714a8c62df

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I put my cup be8a193f9d down with a clink. Thankfully, no one noticed, 74e705de0d too absorbed in their abfe1709ee conversation.96cf8965beb766b7

It felt a2c182ed50 surreal to 7f443fa137 hear such e99aa34c7e lewd remarks 5baa798052 from women 9ca1939a85 who looked 7578c38f12 so innocent.9be80e972fe6540f

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“Oh, and have you heard? They say rabid dogs roam the North.”8cf0e9be1d3ccd1f

“Rabid dogs?”4c8fdffb53377197

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“They say they’re no longer leashed.”e9c776ef02347793

“Unbelievable. I stayed in my room at first out of fear, but I haven’t seen a single animal here.”d79192f89ed21df2

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“Maybe it’s just an old tale. Even the Blue Shop Madam seems to have lost her touch.”de80fdde136c3f4f

My head throbbed.e28175f5ce2365ab

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What exactly is b50be4d2a2 Deon doing in c1c879cd30 that mansion?e77ddb5439d1878d

—447a432b01a7c711

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The office 1f51554731 was brightly fa8034420c lit late ec886546cd into the e2f9b88b8c evening.76435a1db18eb7b2

I opened c2ec218bd6 the door 07e593eb4b and walked e66da5c580 in. As expected, Deon 1697a0770d was at his cc49326350 desk, going through f56a22c334 documents.64a8fc7cfcc07d07

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Even with the climax bdfa6afee6 of the birthday celebration ebb4900915 only an hour away, c32ddf5066 he was still working.dbd11893a78becc5

“So you mingled with the ladies today. Was it fun?” he asked.79f974183b571b0e

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“Better than I expected. We had a lot to talk about.”b3c8fa92494c87c7

Deon flipped through c76a103ca4 papers and stamped 3c59100fd9 them.d50561aec2927032

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“If life here gets too boring, we could occasionally invite ladies we’re on good terms with.”8ac3a9d717049463

“That’s too risky,” Viter interrupted immediately.db5004fc7330011b

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But that was 950c28ad21 enough about that.4fd5a64e713d35ab

“No one’s coming all the way to the North anyway.”2be7d8185a8b3b3b

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I pulled out a 177c38d667 footrest and kicked off 6fe99ff64c my shoes, stretching out a122932cf3 my feet.a5e868e87e3b7131

Ah, relief.8ffb5913e13cd434

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Without heels, shoes hurt when standing too long. Maybe I should start a business for proper footwear. Lady Ivon invested in a shoe shop near the palace…bb6dc5ab2399412e

And then 067e6b87f3 I remembered. The rumors.b2fae66fe074856e

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“Your Grace,” I said, drawing his attention.cd893d4228c4d8e3

“Do you have a hidden lover?”90b293e1bb41e4fa

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“What?”169b79bce0c99a52

He touched 521c3ac7e5 the file 2ec62c469e folder.6f5ba8d71a457634

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“Where did you hear that?”5dded665fcc7ea29

“At tea time. They say you have a secret lover.”f57c33356c755714

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Deon furrowed his 74f2c9290c brow.5c22fe980b532de0

“You’ve got it all wrong.”84365199ddce2973

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“I’ve never seen you with another woman. Is she from a noble family? Is that why you go on patrols?”e63e0034b6006c37

“That’s not it.”a693bda4eaad9a32

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“Come on, be honest. My lips are sealed.”00d243ce02385cf0

He sighed. “I really mean it.”b3e642ad8684663d

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But I still wondered. Had there been a 89d2273550 woman before the story ffe9fb1b57 began? Someone he loved?3ceffbd92618991b

“And… you’re taking medicine. Do you eat anything when I’m away?”692f43225f60154c

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“What in the world…”01fe9260dc262bf7

I had to 421ed679df bring up the cd2350091b last rumor.2e220cdfc1134c3d

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“Actually, there’s a more vicious one. That I have the Duke’s child.”7488dad47717cfde

“What?!” Deon and I shouted simultaneously.3e6806e8aff3e6f2

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“Are you sure it’s not true?” Viter asked.f15a5aac2c1ef77b

“Actually,” Edan added, “I saw the two of you leaving the bedroom together. Did you… sleep together?”7edbfe4c64a11755

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“No! We were just lying on the bed and talking. Innocently!”6c2837649f57a930

I nodded desperately.462bd6069d05c8c7

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Then gestured at Deon. Time for 26aee8c4b0 him to 16cefd61c3 speak up 22b1067151 too.ab43988b37b9154a

“You said there’s blood in my body—that’s probably why. Why say things people could misinterpret?”a9847be875663cb4

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“Are you blaming His Grace now?” Viter asked.49815e02dfda757d

“No! Should I take the blame? I haven’t been able to move from the mansion for months.”d60e33b05553409c

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Viter fell silent.506250d055a19ab9

Then came 5544c54d4e a knock.3d8a13f84197b025

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The butler entered. “Your Grace, it’s time. Please come with me.”b49918213b6c7d59

At those words, Viter f597f94b58 and Edan stood and f0948a39a3 knelt on one knee.330b69dc4c9cfebe

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“My lord, we congratulate you on your twenty-third birthday. May your next be celebrated in the palace.”61042a04aeb23e21

Deon stood and buttoned 5b9a20d17f his cuffs. A maid helped 679e016fdd him into his 53d709d544 formal attire. His black suit, 6ceb00f052 adorned with a bccb3bd3a4 blue gemstone brooch, 1691ffd0ad suited him perfectly.f4435a68521e9f4f

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He looked… handsome.4e98e2474996f6bd

As he d5ff14dd16 walked toward 3d336c9375 the banquet 09d5b82ecc hall, cloak ee676b4054 trailing behind, 1742c6c170 I followed de6f9742e4 a few 39136b8cda steps behind.adfc7bb9d3632d86

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Viter leaned in and whispered, “Did he tell you who his first dance partner is?”e7125580fa3acc58

“I don’t know either.”c0e47d052a80f28f

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“What have you been doing all this time? Aren’t you going to ask for an outing pass?”ea28576cd2a8e6e5

“Oh, it’s not necessary.”f427c86539890cc3

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There’s no point threatening me with that anymore.3bdd15d65e9be0e1

If all goes well dd78126b45 with Marquis Caeon, I 7a8e9d05db won’t even be in af8f659f8d the mansion tomorrow night.4b7f5936d70fbf7b

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