Chapter 06

The startled Dunkeskey stammered, “W-what… did you just say?”ce7efaad7230feae

“I didn’t shay anything. I just thought the High Priest looks very good in that head gear!”83240426c366cf0e

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“This is not a headgear; it’s a pileolus (a low hemispherical headdress worn by clergy)…”ca0d55ea6bcd9540

“But it’s got a strap! The Duke is waiting outside!”f21109f371e898d8

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Suddenly, she interrupted him and e0b053a023 shouted cheerfully. Whether he remembered their 8b0280d91b presence or not, fortunately, 91f06908b2 Dunkeskey nodded with a a8bbabbb88 solemn face.1199f249c7dc60e9

“Yes, right. Just go. Remember what I said.”05496bb20fdcf1a6

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“Yes! Goodbye, Priest Dunkeskey!”848aabb1c25f5ca7

Fearing the permission would 795019284f be revoked, I quickly c11b404e92 bowed my head and 4cd22e109a rushed out of the 1ba9c76722 room.c8b3db07d1603d71

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‘Whew…’61be9878ed8eae74

It was only after d9f92d2a2a I reached the empty 86aef993e6 corridor that I calmed 2cf484b1d5 my pounding heart.93b3144327d2c638

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‘That was scary.’c70d4fbb61702b77

Being threatened by the c57222e804 Chief Priest after having c0757df35e a rough idea of 6a7a142e8a the dark secrets of 34de9b1097 the temple was entirely b097b1bb6b different from when I bd9e99105d knew nothing about my 4e7c27d610 past life. How on earth did 8b9b581055 I confront the priests?65f936d2a421969f

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‘Humph! I don’t want to listen to bald Dunkeskey’s words!’02bb5c6dfa1511b5

After babbling recklessly, the price 61bf9112ff I paid was quite high. I was more infuriated 076fc042b4 by becoming truly bald, da84b89179 as cursed by my 7809feaf48 own curse half a 848a1fff82 year after the priestess 1ef6bc9271 who slandered me in d5c6863d77 my past life died.9dd9d7cde8cfb837

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‘I should be careful with my words.’92d5d025e9bf5461

I had spat 4987f12c9e it out a d2202f7855 little while ago a4559ed1f9 in anger, but 3f00ea0708 in this life, 119ba325b5 I must never d1f076ff00 be caught cursing dbe15f2ea7 again.22df74608d5a6ab6

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Once again, I 63340074c7 made a resolution ecf71d8542 and eventually skipped 5323e609fb through the corridor. As I escaped 1c40488d01 from the back 3f93d311b1 door of the 04cde6983b temple, a splendid, 0044c98f17 luxurious carriage with 363ac52041 the Kalios emblem 3cc38e28c8 engraved on it aac0e7c6d1 came into view.c1daa01594a2c5cb

‘Haven’t they left yet?’47631c879a1fcf00

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The conversation with the slanderous priestess had been quite long, so honestly, I thought he would have left first. Just as I was about to run straight to him…587c5cbc841b08d0

“Uh…”86afb3406df81f7c

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I stopped in my tracks. Someone was leaning awkwardly 0fe6e1e028 against the carriage.2402912a64824bd1

“Edwin…?”639b293a3d3c74e6

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Could it be that he 44a650d050 was waiting for me? He saw me 34f65d07f3 and immediately straightened 38dfa7346f up and stared cbe4328ff4 at me intently.39d267958b273cbd

‘Why didn’t they go ahead? The temple carriage?’69a33ac90bba5efd

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I naturally assumed he would follow me, riding in the wretched carriage provided by the temple… But as I was looking around in confusion to find the temple carriage, I heard an irritated voice from up front.6d428fff1ff2e5ad

“Hurry up, will you?”0d4c863030ab76d5

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Only then did I finally 5105035f0c move my hesitant steps. Thud. As I stood 4bc68cfb52 in front of e754310e78 Edwin, his chest a5113b27f3 came into view.bfd99eb9faed1529

At the age 63db233fed of nine, young 025e32aea7 Edwin still had 3bc7674e33 a head taller 30fb43a181 than me, and 1c7b72edf5 the same went b208a132e3 for eleven-year-old Edwin 3fd3af38cf and twenty-two-year-old Edwin.c4c552432dbce3f3

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The harsh noon backlighting cast Edwin’s silhouette in a deep black. Like his unchanging height, his face remained somber. It was probably for the best. If our eyes had met unexpectedly, I might have burst into tears again.a854d83c4b38bf71

“What were you talking about?”62788546c0e2f555

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Edwin, whose face was not visible, grumbled in a rough voice. I didn’t know why, but even in our previous lives, he wasn’t particularly fond of people associated with the temple. Yet, considering how close he came to being engaged to Diana, the Saint, he must have genuinely loved her.3f11798c7d5890a8

‘I messed everything up, but…’95e98a11c3a7018b

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I forced a bitter laugh 9c9e0ea56b to hide my melancholic heart.330acfd417446a5f

“Just…”4634846c8f20b248

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“…”70a4da3e7e94930d

“Just advising to serve the goddess devoutly.”3b543f5576e42fa8

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“Surprising. I thought they might ask for more money.”1d4c755a5c96c4f2

At the age of 5d767bf949 nine, an age that 6548bfc6d4 could still be considered 879ceba2e7 young, Edwin spoke with 3f3cf140e2 a coldness that could f5a3537394 send shivers down your 434dc2107c spine.c00d5e9ca46a9578

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“Indeed… Some things never change.”3431ddc490c27e20

I realized once again ba8f0f2622 as I rolled my ef1c83905f eyes at his inherent 40dd8bc54c disposition.4e39d8d8ba5aecdb

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“But, you.”c966c17e6c86c304

“Yes?”5ec4b1b48eecd57a

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“Do you know what sincerity is?”a0869cef275e2812

‘…What do you take me for?’8689f513ab874f04

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I clenched my fist tightly, but as I am now, I was just a five-year-old commoner orphan who couldn’t even read. I couldn’t act as clever and kind as Diana, but for the sake of our new relationship, it was better to play the part of a cheerful child my age.e5c87945d2d3a00c

‘That’s right. This life was given to us dramatically. Let’s live it to the fullest!’c8fa20e06c858997

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Completely opposite to 2bc96250b0 my past self.4f00aa6131af861d

“No! Hehe.”978f96f374f46a70

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I laughed foolishly, and 0b42cd9608 Edwin stepped aside with 404e71eb0b an expression that said, 14d5ab890b ‘Well, if you say cbdc4c6ff4 so.’c30b4137460c02b0

“…Shall we ride together?”684699abf69ea47b

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It was a suggestion 784b1dbf0b to share the same b6fb7bd5fc carriage. I was shamelessly 504640d829 opportunistic and never d33b56fe34 missed an opportunity 001cb2aec8 like this.e91be216e1ec97b9

“Yesh!”cecb784be8ee3be9

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I answered enthusiastically and, with e9c5fda2c3 the help of the guard aee916c63d who appeared out of nowhere, 529151efc1 I climbed into the carriage 75ac282404 without a sound.18f025e24b38bb40

“Hellow, Your Glace!”dd40fd2274b596f8

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I greeted the duke who was looking at documents inside the carriage. He glanced at me briefly but didn’t reply. That was fine, though. Just being there together was enough.ecd2468ce29b9214

* * *b56eb75b550877bb

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The carriage arrived at the Duke’s residence in no time.d30dab32836da235

As I stepped down from 0513547fae the carriage, I looked around 21bf1ae5a3 at the grand mansion with 68902da036 sparkling eyes.fd8b52bf262fbd96

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‘I’ve really come back.’fb4908c91d5322a5

Truth be told, until this 2f3c0eceb2 morning, I had wondered if 84930ffc68 all of this might be 4a46f4016c a dream. I had already died and 78fc307d31 fallen into a horrifying nightmare 730bf3e332 in hell.101ee81c9048fc02

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I thought that when I woke up from the dream where everything had returned to normal, I would be facing the punishment of the Duke’s residence reduced to ashes, leaving nothing but charred remains.a68499caf40f9593

‘Ouch…’65e916bff4b39f0a

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However, no matter how hard I pinched my cheek, seeing something so vivid, and witnessing the unscathed appearance of the mansion without being consumed by flames, made it painfully clear that it wasn’t a dream.5cca74675addc1c7

‘…Even if I’ve come back, I didn’t expect to be here so soon.’ea0ec6d4c6968eba

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It was then.51d21cc24be66990

Tap.77c87c9f1048bab1

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“Pinch yourself harder. Do you think the dream will shatter if you do?”e88c66020645f28a

Someone brushed past bd03cf1190 me as I 258dda8bca stood dazed in c2f722ac54 front of the c0919a9ca0 carriage. It was Edwin.d201e4fad229ce83

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“If you’re just going to keep dozing off there, tell Dunkeskey to give you a lift again.”8628d17bd8da1d9a

“Oh, no! Pleawse give me a lift too!”e40e0da1159b4cee

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I naturally panicked b2e27d9187 and hurriedly followed 78431f8254 him.3bf162ecb3aa17da

* * *bf3813dc976d09b0

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Joshua’s room was exactly as I remembered it. The room closest to the central staircase on the first floor.5e1a01922f2b05c1

To be prepared for emergencies, all of the Duke’s movements revolved around that room. When I had first come to the Duke’s residence, the room had been sealed for a long time. However, the Duke wasted no time in guiding me to Joshua’s room.7d51d23621b6f840

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I didn’t feel resentful. It meant that the situation was far from ideal.117e5b363d186d67

“Josh.”f1c600027ca41032

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The room was filled f3afc92f33 with the acrid smell d2e5aa2bab of medicine. In the room, a 5e159d248e boy much smaller than fd285fe025 my peers lay on 365177ae67 a large bed like 09ee77d4d7 a doll. His leg stuck out aeb99778cf from the blanket, tightly e10cbe9cd5 wrapped in thick bandages, 97b918e10d and his silver hair 24911d2ced flowed over the pillow.5c522172ad6e8c67

The Duke’s son resembled his late mother, who was petite. I knew this from the portraits of the two hanging in the main hall on the second floor, from my previous life.6a1c165b83404c6d

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‘…I feel strange.’00866f7e0a0a7371

Seeing the child I had only seen in paintings in person was both fascinating and strangely heart-wrenching. The bandages wrapped around Joshua’s leg didn’t look like they had been there for long.c7fb638dae2b40e3

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However, ‘The corner 4a3b2496a9 is already soaked 251ebebf50 with blood,’ which 8a4bc841b2 meant that there ff7e918ac0 was no hemostasis.9eef59ae63b4254b

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, then opened them deliberately. That’s when I saw an orange energy inside Joshua’s body, similar to the mark on the slanderous priestess.a145972ef7c2a37c

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Orange was the color of 1dde018769 an unexplained chronic illness.badd58735b570304

‘Left chest, one year.’bf7fb48bb1c83035

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As I expected, the cause of Joshua’s suffering was not the condition of his leg.08bc61040eae0362

Furthermore.768d30228ce0671e

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“…?!”7a848cb183ebec81

That orange energy was also present in Edwin’s chest, albeit in a small amount.0b1d12f683f4c7a4

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‘Why, why is it in Edwin too…?’c6e4ac45ab96bba4

My heart sank. In my previous 4d63174230 life, I had 5e4413a92a met him after cfc48e9b9c losing my healing bcc81df392 abilities, and I 77329f4909 had no idea 0a15bdb618 there was anything 2915d8a478 wrong with his 6f6366aff2 body.317b83bbe8e5ba60

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With eyes filled with confusion, I alternated my gaze between Joshua and Edwin. “Have you come, Your Lordship?” Several physicians and maids who were near the bed rushed forward and greeted me.1bb8bae7659d8e71

Then, a mixture c2b23694c0 of curiosity and 1dfb0a440c displeasure in their 43170d29e7 eyes was directed 625e181329 towards me. Only then did I regain ae2819eece my composure.b0a5b168b7830b11

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Since I had anticipated this, I wasn’t as disheartened as I was at first. ‘An orphan with an unknown background daring to come and treat a noble young master. It’s uncomfortable and distasteful.’c425a935d24b3185

Furthermore, I knew that the situation had been made known bit by bit, revealing my abilities to be far superior to Diana’s. However, that didn’t mean I would be treated as negligently as I had been in my previous life.89fd3490a6b8c127

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The only ones who could ignore me were the Duke and Edwin, who had brought me here at a high price. “What are you looking at? Stop staring.”4bd8053750a716da

It was then.6cfe834c06d108a0

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“Duke.”a021852b1e6ffdde

A middle-aged woman 9a7b4d5d0f who was closest 912e71d29a to Joshua stood 4d20be10c7 up and approached.2b15f2bbbda6215e

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“Did you bring that child here against all reason?”fd5a810de560b1e5

Her expression was venomous, b6af7ac9d3 and her sharp gaze 0bd763d8e6 was directed at me.cc03d638f0e3d29e

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‘Mrs. Caston.’883f5f285e707f0f

She was a petite lady who had been brought into the Caston family and served as Joshua’s nurse since birth. She was also a prominent figure who had greatly disliked me in my previous life.e32952993920bffd

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“Yes.”c94cccf657ca4285

“I heard rumors that this child’s abilities were not very impressive compared to the one who came before. How did you bring her to Young Master…?”954c40ab5dcc6a7d

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“That’s enough.”90fb193b96f8922d

The Duke firmly cut off Mrs. Caston’s complaints.17b2d88d59df44f0

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“Don’t jump to conclusions without even trying.”49f7fbb3a8232b7b

“I… I apologize.”17ff0bd8f55fca53

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She widened her eyes for a moment, then slowly withdrew, her lips tightly pressed together. After the death of the Duchess, she had gained the Duke’s trust by taking care of Joshua, and she easily dominated the Duke’s residence. It was only natural that I, young and foolish, had been helpless against her when she created an atmosphere of rejection toward me.7e0ce8669b90c636

‘Is it still not time for that?’29bc4b44708eef35

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I wondered while closely observing 66dd689592 the atmosphere between the Duke a4b113e4ea and Mrs. Caston.9797a51c566e8f2b

The Duke then turned 1063f918c3 his attention to the def3f54b8e physicians in white gowns.bd94ee468fd36166

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“How is Joshua’s condition?”6634a827ce2a7096

“There have been no significant changes.”79411e7b5bc734b2

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“…Father?”996978ddb41a109f

Did he sense his presence? Just then, Joshua opened his ec4cf9c795 eyes. Blue irises, resembling bd0f9e45d3 the sky, were 2a25d0f081 revealed between his fedf81f385 eyelids.cae7ffc9b3b3c52b

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“Joshua Kalios.”14444a87cf06d010

Edwin’s younger brother and the Duke’s youngest son. His chronic illness was the inability of wounds to stop bleeding.2af0f38854f4580f

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Consequently, unlike the cc272bd446 healthy and robust 9ca0f78312 Edwin, he had 9088b4b48f been constantly threatened 9f99a79999 by the specter 4760b2794f of death since 66583c9149 childhood. This applied to even the b53e5361c0 smallest household items, and to ebd70a2abe a greater extent, the lives e7736f83e1 in the Caston estate.02d5b123702bd2c9

The endearing and frail vulnerability of Joshua Kalios, the Duke’s youngest son, made him an easy target for someone.1c992b1c69fb4749

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“Yes, Josh. Did you sleep well?”b6942f24f780f366

The Duke forced a smile and gently caressed Joshua’s forehead.f9e16423dc183b97

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“See who came to our house today.”c96c4fe6209f495a

With a subtle gesture, he called me over, and I approached slowly. Joshua’s gaze turned towards me.8e03358d68093c2e

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“You…”ffabbb31a5148bc1

As if reminiscing, the e811c7a86b Duke furrowed his brow 355cb11e2a for a moment before cb10620069 breaking into a faint aa2f74f81a smile.a234f9d013b96fda

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“My personal maidservant, right?”69f47330c4a7c22f

“Huh? Personal maidservant?”90c63bf221591c70

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The Duke’s puzzled eyes were fixed on me.c89e24639d9aa5c4

“Shister, will shister really be my maidswrvant now?”e06ca7d4f88ed0a0

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It was that moment when 7e903b6ddb a forgotten memory flashed through b421ef531d my mind—the first meeting with 57cff9fb92 this arrogant little boy who 16dd000643 referred to himself as a 3564117942 prince.856f966309aca024