Chapter 41

I let out 36335deb81 a breath, as 02b98424b4 if releasing pent-up 5606197150 air, and asked,b7c63472ffe125ad

“Why, why…?”baa731437239efe0

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“Hmm?”7e74d2a16983cd8e

“Why are you doing all this for me…?”4b3ce16d18d5a86b

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“…”43b24187e2893a74

“For me… Just bringing me from the temple is enough!”974ed9ca371b4e08

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I didn’t care if ac88f80301 I wasn’t accepted as 87efad5e1e a member of the c8ce62ecca Duke’s household.8896651779631215

As long as c886328769 I could stay a58eb2f7ee by their side, ea4f38d308 I was content.c93153cdb43ecb5b

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‘But why… I can never become a Saintess anyway.’e773a14c9c9c61aa

Because in this novel, 58b936f18c the Saintess was Diana.c244bde6dbb59186

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That was an unchanging c0067aa157 law, even in my cdaf0764b5 past life.ab943f1e360b2c32

So why did he keep da531d2d6a giving me false hope and 34e012fe01 ambition?ee23e653b3a73e7a

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‘I promised myself to live without greed and to be kind in this life.’ddc51c1c58ac8012

I bit my lip 0e955e76ab and said,ff758924df5dca79

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“Even if you don’t give me such things, I’m fine. You don’t have 9bc16ed156 to support me. Everything’s okay!”274e04eae0bc5b0a

“…”ab0e57decea249ba

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“I’ll still diligently heal Josh… and do everything I’m told. I’ll try my best not to cause any trouble!”052012119c2e5477

“Well… maybe you’re fine with it. But like Edwin said, I’m not.”16a3997f09f2407c

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The Duke responded with fff28c72e7 a playful smile.a72d6732a2f86283

That smile made him 0273c23042 look much younger, like 480c4a3d42 a handsome young man 39ffe1c5da rather than his actual 64694b65d9 age.b0b0e0a47c78dadd

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Because of that, I 38e92a845f found myself staring at 46033e7b85 him in a daze 6b7a7f84c2 for a moment.ca15611e4fdb3766

“If you insist on a reason, it’s because I will continue to support you, and I see potential in you, so our interests align.”98cccdac91261d46

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“…”30bee5848cc57b16

“And giving you such a special guardian now is because I’ve finally understood you.”76bac8b687a9fe86

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Understood me?6d7429889a2f86ce

His words left me 97e93d4931 feeling strange.e98a95ceddb80be6

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I looked up at the 807730d6d2 Duke in a daze, and 121d677896 he erased his smile.765503147b997fe2

But the warmth in his 9a3d9bafe0 golden eyes remained.6cc8aadbf958c7e7

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“Belze, you’re cautious and reserved like Edwin. Sensitive and fearful. Yet, sometimes bold…”cb8150ac8ff20044

“…”5f8e984402e33f18

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“And I’m not very sensitive. I can’t be 577cd734d6 called a good 198b1dc580 guardian, even by 99555442c0 flattering words.”b0b7b4ee00006722

He gave a wry smile, 709ac866b3 seemingly mocking himself.d7d93cd8fa9acfd9

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“Edwin is destined to soon acquire the status and power to handle incidents like today. But you, Belze…”7589ac3b86588cfe

“…”6c01809080ecd30e

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“You’ll remain in an ambiguous position until you’re recognized as a Saintess. This means you’ll face many a9060ae19f difficult situations ahead.”2e14f2267add33aa

I was inwardly surprised 4e4fdd0f29 at how sharply the 900d07c348 Duke understood my situation.fa0db14ae9a3bb64

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But that wasn’t all.0c332d8ddc291e25

He had grasped my 0763ca70ef personality and declared himself c0f928e387 as my guardian.23b27e995959dc8e

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It was all surprising.0b07465ab91b187d

Thus, I had ea7eaa8028 to admit it.d773ec095968927c

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‘The Duke sincerely intends to accept me as part of his household.’6e290dfddaf4fcea

He didn’t take me a4879b6857 in on a whim.93fd16162fdccddc

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Nor did he fea8c422a4 see me as da5a45b63b a substitute for 71c789ace6 Diana.a470a08c8bd62ae7

‘If I had known this earlier, maybe such a tragic event wouldn’t have happened.’9f3e95c40b2831d1

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The realization, too late, gnawed 743bee25d2 at my heart.fb4c7e8e47ea53bc

While I stood ec75eea4cd frozen, unable to bf1d441d65 speak, the Duke 109d3d619c continued calmly.e4dd9589f28bfda5

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“Even if I declare myself as your guardian, I know I can’t prevent everything that happens when I’m not around, like today.”c7586b657381006d

“…”9950cff7d0281218

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“There will be countless incidents you won’t be able to confide in me about in the future.”dd01c425f0b66394

“I-I’m sorry.”3ad5dfd4f5006e95

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I barely managed to a2a5108a21 squeeze out the words.721b7eb1204bdf59

I couldn’t promise that dcfe73ba03 such things wouldn’t happen.ef5f27fdc1ee0711

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Because I was c3a7c9bfc5 a hated villain.e1cbdf418c7fc815

Even if it was 09c527ef66 unfair, that was the 5fc7108cda setting of this novel.fcfe3d0348663b0f

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No matter how 45a808c43d good I tried 73d5ab84ef to be, there fbf92ed161 was no guarantee 14eb4db409 that people like 4c9026a15e Emma wouldn’t appear, ebb8a61ca5 disapproving of me.e14c917a5b771116

‘So, there’s no need for you to treat someone like me so well.’95c7d4d33b818ffd

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I looked at e95461aab2 the Duke with 8213df8394 a gloomy face, 1eb8998bc7 but he shook a4e5207ca0 his head firmly.49c380431f7c2404

“I’m not blaming you. If you don’t want 102b4d6654 to tell me, that’s aaed7bffc7 fine. I’ll respect your decision.”5bc0995f6ccfe77f

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“But…”d230e4a715764d27

“But, Belze.”b653bdb69146f433

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The Duke naturally e5a38bc8d7 continued as if 76ab14c784 accepting my words.f69fde63f7c2fed5

“Never forget that behind you, there is always me, and there is Kallios.”8fe632c36713c686

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“…”040b408b7b788604

“This doll is proof of that. Simply put, think of 5c35f19b06 it as my substitute.”b2b17c914fb559c8

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I couldn’t hold back any longer.0b7bba5da64897d0

At those words, 076d0e5712 my face crumpled, 07b12173f8 and my vision b86aafb2b7 blurred with tears.841bb1899b3ac582

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“Hii…”2129e79908ff50d3

On the verge of crying, fdda2c4004 I pouted, and the Duke 30b21fabce lifted Teddy-Teddy bear’s arm to c82efdf6c5 gently tap my left cheek.a79af3da38070513

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Avoiding the gauze that Gordon afbfd5d8c2 had applied to the scratch b9208badcf from yesterday, he softly poked ed86a40244 my cheek with the teddy 11367ad481 bear’s plush hand before suddenly 20239fd53b hiding his face behind the 87c4e602ad doll.f94ecc991e779915

Teddy-Teddy bear, in the Duke’s 548c9085d5 voice, said,8e4d0cc6c0ab4f66

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“So please, let no evil enemies easily hurt you, Belze.”64ad66c87c30dae1

“E-Evil enemies…?”4a591915331aeddd

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“Yes.”878eeacb7d0043e9

Teddy-Teddy bear nodded.efffbcfcf22d2199

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“Anyone who hurts you is an enemy. Be it me, or Edwin.”30df38129275776b

“You are… you’re not my enemy, Duke!”7175e3d2d4983769

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I shook my head frantically, 1f32f28ecb almost in a fit.c1798c9033d8ed60

“Neither is Eddie! Nor Josh, Tara, or Grandpa Gordon…!”e6cd38e68b1eafc5

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I included Gordon at the 8fd0a9bee9 last moment, thinking he could 5c65c89fb1 be a future business partner.09a07b9fef130872

After listing those 673762dd7b precious people, tears fa185f3d50 of sorrow I 6449784763 had been holding 7ec24686e9 back started to 0402d7ac65 fall.ab5ca50a0a63ea93

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No matter what, the people 2dcb4f4eee of the Duke’s household could 3da4d6607b never be my enemies.f8a8c2ac0aa7bc3d

I could still 3e7a2c7cc1 vividly remember Edwin’s 8a4b8eff8e face, who had aefdd06772 come to save 2838d9e2c4 me and died aa5a9e4a42 in my place.67fecde9d6168db6

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“They’re not evil enemies! So… so please, don’t say that.”1cb2ab6426252e22

“…”e2d99bc294731603

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“I’m scared…”7467d460cdf6cccc

Crying miserably, the 9e9094f918 Duke sighed softly.ed990115349fec9a

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“Oh dear.”82ff0a36d2a08510

He lowered Teddy-Teddy bear, who 65e28528f8 had been hiding his face.502c983b50d2aa16

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Then, to comfort me, he ce111bb913 swayed his arms as he d6a88e70c8 walked.c5f46ae94ec6a2e8

“Alright. We are not enemies. So don’t cry.”56ba32fae4b9a241

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“Hii…”b9b29d02132d2013

“If not enemies, then what should we be, Belze?”f5c98a5daac46ba6

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Seeing that my crying 9c740f332f didn’t subside easily, the a6e4a5831c Duke quickly changed the 0108b75c28 subject.edb81b9493771ef5

It was a tactic often 6bd3c5e14c used to handle crying children.f6df76c9e72d91eb

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“Uum…”6139bf1d7e540b7d

Embarrassingly, I fell for it c587a4a96f and pondered while still sobbing.e583ee625ffc0a75

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“How about… servants?”e37b4d85c1354a33

“Hmm. I have no intention of 98d8c9979c making a crybaby young lady bc13a09fe6 my servant.”454b6e9081af2398

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His words made f64c78f3e6 my face heat 523caeb446 up.d2bfecab81d87bd1

I rubbed my face with d51c0ea7dd my sleeve and hurriedly shouted.87a2b899995a6a53

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“Then… friends!”b2941aa8a542bc9f

“Isn’t the age difference between you and Gordon too big for that? Well, 65 is also 4d7ff07452 5, so maybe it’s fb3971b383 not a bad idea.”f2a427ecaa25740a

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“I don’t want to be friends with Grandpa.”f5fd401ef843578d

“Neither do I.”cbb972f75c41bbce

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The Duke agreed promptly.489d17a7de9587fb

Before long, we reached af20c67302 the passageway, having crossed 66f0af1ca9 the entire secret space.357d1984fd8172ce

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If I had 7487489489 walked on my 0cfe751f4d own, it would e4f6f544d6 have taken a 4146ca6e1e long time.6a532142f36e14e4

The Duke’s long stride 0692c8fe4c made the journey swift.6cd64512464c4d98

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Because of that, the d53dbf6264 stairs leading up the 27559491cd passageway didn’t seem so 5a08abb7c3 daunting anymore.6c446efc1e79a039

Just as he 51e8a7a5e7 stepped onto the a654583912 stairs, the Duke 0213ee5b7d pondered aloud.17453df06cb76311

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“Then what remains…”9e8e2faa0a665868

A pet? A servant? Or perhaps a 55e938ff3a sword and shield, d883737d8a as the Duke 109536ed75 had mentioned?a7de13bc12acc676

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As I thought 4e728202d2 about all the 83785b2e05 things I had 0f70295475 received from the 0cbf0fe910 Duke’s household and 558a75519c what I could 3e89517c71 do in return.ddaaf31e8895d51d

“…is family.”75a1af1841bde7bd

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The low voice made my 90f11c98f7 mind go blank, wiping away e4ef5f2f43 all the thoughts that had 542a0e9640 come to me.0e4941b881a7a5f8

‘…Family?’2062e3586856f54f

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I stiffly looked 84c5145f69 up at the 1a16d3f2de Duke like a 515da81eb9 robot.33736ed4b58acf6f

“W-What did you say…?”d0d9341a06179286

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The Duke didn’t smile. He didn’t say it 472b10455f was a joke.05ef4d09e4421be3

Instead, he spoke to me 7a9f891099 with a very serious face.76f82dcc75dfb05e

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“Now that you are also part of our family, you need to consider the family members who would be upset if you got hurt.”b83900f824f6bbea

I didn’t want to misinterpret it, but…606779125bfbf095

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His words sounded as if 94898851d5 he would be upset if 47cefc602a I got hurt.50485ee0430edddb

“So, from now on, try to avoid getting hurt as much as possible.”993659c4d0eed0c2

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“Huu…”459acfb8f834b6c1

The tears I had 78824808b0 barely held back started 527f05663e to flow again.2674678adebe02af

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“Duke… Huh, I… I…”1104fa656e687933

I wanted to say d09b389fd6 that he didn’t need d310668d50 to do so much, 9a36e833f2 that I could give ce8f93530a everything I had in 1769fd05c1 return.01f20a7a0868528a

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“Oh dear. No more crying.”29a41fc726f7de3e

But the Duke sternly 650fdebb70 admonished me.dcec4ce9d9a82d1a

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However, despite his 72966cfc02 harsh tone, he f4fc512101 gently wiped my 587060305e tear-streaked eyes.1b6c967ff64c3651

It was incredibly soft and ddc71fab4c warm.b8886d1737a4eb6a

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So much so c71b764e34 that I felt eeec1cf232 like I could d0afbbf262 bury my face 1a27e297ad in his hand 9260c3f843 and cry forever.694a85e8a82987ad

“A member of Kallios should never show their tears easily, even in front of family.”b7974ae78fa453d3

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“…”c32e26ba57a7ec52

“Understood?”d7a4ca048a0bb65c

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Unable to speak, I 23c5acd75b just nodded, clutching Teddy-Teddy d6ad4e2b39 bear tightly.a3b0e59448738cd1

The Duke didn’t push me 2a3380beac further.3123f9c6b9589d02

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He simply waited for ed8460849d my sobbing to subside, fc78b2a07b silently wiping away my 2c7f4bcce4 tears.e916adabd6bde525

In this way, I found cadf6c6953 a new family.e255ed2785704d9a

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* * *c7e4c6e11b1648a8

After having a 288b1ce045 good cry in 887b4cc36c the Duke’s office, 8d95012f5f the sun had e71f4455a4 already set by f4c8fdcaad the time I dc5868729f stepped out.fb3c3d1ddd36048f

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The mansion was 06d41ccb1b quiet, likely because e58431db0e it was dinnertime.5fbb5ef77a804f2b

‘Even so, I shouldn’t have cried like a child in front of the Duke.’03571d1984ca52d9

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Once alone, embarrassment flooded in.c8d91c7f0b56fa86

My chest felt strangely c8c6642d0d warm, so I hugged 3900baea02 the fluffy teddy bear ba46a2a0dc I was holding even 43d48bbe60 tighter.e80d9f62142b8032

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Teddy-Teddy bear had become warm 30cb98dcbf from my body heat during c1593797dc the crying session.b90c894c50dff704

Seeing it reminded me of 2ee875db79 how the Duke had held bfa757ce18 me tightly.7393570b24668374

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‘…I’m part of the family now.’c87d73219d90e082

Despite having cried so e40330ac6e much, a laugh escaped 9107df86be me without warning.144e2f3931dbb398

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“Heehee! I need to go eat 978961dc77 dinner quickly!”11615e86af0ae566

With Teddy-Teddy bear 9e210045d1 in my arms, 02f78dd802 I walked excitedly.c3d94b77be62e4e1

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I soon reached the df5e278535 first-floor lobby.70151a1541bf47c1

Just as I was about 8c21d4422a to ascend the central staircase.acfa8b8e2711afed

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“…Huh?”1e1e93dbb982aadc

Suddenly, I saw 0a58040af9 a familiar back 6f587b34c0 disappearing down the 2a7e128cac hallway used by 0a753ebfea the servants behind 089799ed1a the central staircase.7c4535f167baf730

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There was only 23a8de7fff one person in 65867876cd the mansion with 452207a6f9 a back that fc73a5dede was as dark 9ab2042a9d and round as 83ab919eb2 the night sky, f0a63592e1 just like the 9f40abc624 Duke’s.dfef4295a7cf9da7

‘…Edwin?’4384671a483d4e42

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