19. Duke’s Women

“Are you pregnant?”e7aafcad7f4432b3

Pfft.338724e1503fd06e

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I spat out the 3929a20591 tea I had in 856433de32 my mouth.7ec4133faff9b8dc

The teacup 66dd6265cf rolled off 2ae9225650 the table, f00fd8a5c6 and the c653e13010 tea leaves 1585dd6889 scattered in 78d86bdf7f every direction. Without even thinking of d3d81547e5 wiping my wet apron, 765e3aac2f I stared blankly at 34e8b048ea her.68b7b1ceed564257

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It was an uncivilized reaction, but I couldn’t regain my composure after hearing such an uncivilized remark.75dc2a3e4fbecda8

“W-What did you say?”fe226fe1d5935199

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“It seems like you’re very surprised. I apologize.”450de595fd092c6c

“Here, use this to wipe it off,” the marchioness next to me said, handing me a handkerchief.5b80bb664a27b869

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Had I acted cd48d998fe in a way f1a1e413fd that could be fa0278ec41 so easily misunderstood 1a94c0a0b9 by Deon? We never 40f4dab311 fought, so 526ee1dbab how did bb8847f2ec this rumor 34c399180c start?05d203f97141ab79

“How did that story spread?” I asked, still bewildered.1f7ed066cb63659e

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“Well, I didn’t hear it myself,” she replied and nudged the young lady next to her.276949c044aa1287

“To be honest, I overheard your conversation. I heard something about the Duke’s blood being in your veins…”b62d64349eacb2d4

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“Ah… that.”fb4a629fd8a23e3b

I was at 98ced47283 a loss for 686ce0e131 words. How was 3179cb3e5f I supposed f33175d589 to explain fd22bd7101 that?75b6b36c0e9748ea

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The young 183e10b410 ladies exchanged 6b1f71d5b6 glances, their edfbac2c6c curious eyes 9c19a396f6 fixed on e833d86400 me.3ba46c00f7d2fb8d

“Right? Then could it be that you’re the subject of the rumor?”4ff499794bf8ca0d

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“No! That’s not it,” I said, shaking my head desperately.32c6848fdc7dfadd

“Are you really not?”ecdd3333d2db9489

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“I don’t know what the rumor is, but absolutely not.”0e6281a583ac7c7b

“Then, you’re not pregnant either…”ed925c964d3b3494

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“Absolutely not!”d7b8fd0fb16d76e3

The young ladies looked f1c31a189d disappointed by my firm 41c63f549c denial. They withdrew 15290eaee9 their curious e52067cdf5 gazes and 22f8faa20b picked up f995d4984d their teacups 0a14c46a20 again.294ecd7976c19cd2

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“I was rude. I’m sorry for startling you, Miss Sien.”63ae16458246781f

“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.”7285770fe8248381

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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.”40b691d0dac08962

They began e3bf6c325b chatting incessantly 9e08d3b996 about the 63fc176b63 talk surrounding 3c476c5cfa the Duke’s 9af9ebe896 household. Amidst the chatter, a f1e08c511b recurring phrase stood out—an f35665357a empty rumor.5934a111983d45e6

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“… But what is that rumor exactly?” I asked.75e14d78b61f6ffe

“You don’t know?” one of them said, opening her fan and whispering cautiously. “It’s a rumor that the Duke has a lover.”0cf1fae8917d409f

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“Oh, I heard that too,” the Marquess’s wife added. “They say there’s a hidden mistress.”462e52c8c0979dc0

“Mistress?” I echoed.99996e30f69cb740

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“Shh!”38af643402b3d54f

Without realizing, I raised b69c0151cd my voice. The marchioness fc700a14b1 put a 3d657b4f57 finger to c7d29fb9a2 her lips.e6d551dc48a53614

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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.”830f6e7d90b6e80e

She fanned herself dramatically.2c3a129f12986862

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Was such a 7941a724eb woman really here?48fadd48ecd4456a

I thought back to b493ba3090 those who had visited 3a79254388 the duchy, but I e8ed4ecf8a couldn’t think of anyone 8e2d551ee6 who fit that description.173f2a73fe89d2d6

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“Um… I heard a different rumor,” Young Lady Tani said timidly.8def2489883c029a

“They say she’s making medicine.”253a28cf03f7b722

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“Medicine?” I stammered in surprise.a9199ad8f699d212

“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.”ca85cffa7991bfa6

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Everyone laughed.105c1196aebc5304

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.”01a06b8e5f604cab

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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.4b3e82bcb9eb2c24

I nearly spat out 032bb2095a my tea again.ba21940c7c6fd298

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I put my cup 663613ed17 down with a clink. Thankfully, no one 8562b047c8 noticed, too absorbed 345dfae7e8 in their conversation.86da7a2a8b6d618f

It felt surreal to eb898f3907 hear such lewd remarks 7444295f53 from women who looked f21f4c8ca6 so innocent.3eb15ca980c61361

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“Oh, and have you heard? They say rabid dogs roam the North.”333dfe36ee9912a4

“Rabid dogs?”297ee5c21679784a

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“They say they’re no longer leashed.”64940cd2e4a053b0

“Unbelievable. I stayed in my room at first out of fear, but I haven’t seen a single animal here.”85bde4e4113b77bc

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“Maybe it’s just an old tale. Even the Blue Shop Madam seems to have lost her touch.”32cb9849e8c55f4b

My head throbbed.e8b32a0b99a8240b

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What exactly is 436c5325e6 Deon doing in 1331ce5137 that mansion?21e54dc91200a179

—c96e524ee78580e6

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The office was 9f2e5342f1 brightly lit late 25e072f5a4 into the evening.8517f8453229b274

I opened c0504525a7 the door e9afe4674b and walked ec9333cdba in. As expected, Deon 2b9053e6c2 was at his 749f604d1d desk, going through 3eaaa9cae0 documents.4eb38c3ad9b5aa65

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Even with the climax 215f04ae94 of the birthday celebration 0ae0588a46 only an hour away, a7d0c6c55b he was still working.a91d2f5f4c2306ae

“So you mingled with the ladies today. Was it fun?” he asked.426f8d14c4cf798f

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“Better than I expected. We had a lot to talk about.”07c7e5ab6429c097

Deon flipped through 85d56b446f papers and stamped 9a98fbd46a them.9336c4bf96107591

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“If life here gets too boring, we could occasionally invite ladies we’re on good terms with.”58cd2cd61c02b9d8

“That’s too risky,” Viter interrupted immediately.bc37cc7649a5990b

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But that 659edb09b8 was enough c1236d670f about that.eb41321182e95420

“No one’s coming all the way to the North anyway.”3d21c377c2e3f5e5

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I pulled out a 9078904c5b footrest and kicked off c9109ee36c my shoes, stretching out 77da39e2d6 my feet.adbc0282932e2626

Ah, relief.30468b24dbdfc8d4

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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…8b9c9773af2a979c

And then I ccc73e1f12 remembered. The rumors.82e830ffee0d7c5f

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“Your Grace,” I said, drawing his attention.7700449904f0ba6d

“Do you have a hidden lover?”f387cd8d8d008f54

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“What?”95b95068ebdb4db6

He touched the 9ab4c230cd file folder.372b5bcc7f5e8a04

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“Where did you hear that?”e39befba5189316e

“At tea time. They say you have a secret lover.”df4500e3b44d8e80

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Deon furrowed his brow.0d60f67c8968210b

“You’ve got it all wrong.”3b8fe1acbaf1dff9

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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?”5adc01c6653fca5f

“That’s not it.”1fbdbadede0d1906

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“Come on, be honest. My lips are sealed.”460ce95b31d42cb4

He sighed. “I really mean it.”1bc7fc7ca12f8003

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But I ccef6cca61 still wondered. Had there been c2b43fc8b7 a woman before 7cf0211103 the story began? Someone he loved?c3684e1ab38cf217

“And… you’re taking medicine. Do you eat anything when I’m away?”16f38d4a782a8d0a

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“What in the world…”b4fd9bb0b5755ce1

I had to bring a3bb32ffc5 up the last rumor.3017527778456a3a

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“Actually, there’s a more vicious one. That I have the Duke’s child.”f029d5f6446a5b9a

“What?!” Deon and I shouted simultaneously.a23c1a5015952dfd

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“Are you sure it’s not true?” Viter asked.2b5f83ef3c87b426

“Actually,” Edan added, “I saw the two of you leaving the bedroom together. Did you… sleep together?”1cce67897ccd002f

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“No! We were just lying on the bed and talking. Innocently!”a381cd9e6d1a8d9b

I nodded desperately.73901f633b7ecb89

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Then gestured at 065770e350 Deon. Time for him 35f5ef1b85 to speak up 5d5fe96f8c too.2394c34600b1ee81

“You said there’s blood in my body—that’s probably why. Why say things people could misinterpret?”79958a3c422f7372

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“Are you blaming His Grace now?” Viter asked.51dda8d37d3ed88c

“No! Should I take the blame? I haven’t been able to move from the mansion for months.”05f147f8dfc4bfb7

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Viter fell silent.288889a60c56e4ef

Then came f6fa99eb4a a knock.cff50c3147b4c90a

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The butler entered. “Your Grace, it’s time. Please come with me.”779451f0d9061372

At those 4f2a6c9223 words, Viter 16e13d9399 and Edan 7294f84d39 stood and 18c3754a17 knelt on af91b46d57 one knee.b8c7971dc67ecedc

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“My lord, we congratulate you on your twenty-third birthday. May your next be celebrated in the palace.”d4910f5f7bc78a63

Deon stood and 3379807693 buttoned his cuffs. A maid 5416ce546c helped him cf6712d173 into his 1c47996841 formal attire. His black 35769d22cc suit, adorned 0696505a8c with a 1056a09c0b blue gemstone 833995319d brooch, suited 1e2ca09a71 him perfectly.ac53975473198219

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He looked… handsome.fcbffb227a56d991

As he 950be31a87 walked toward e98bc78e62 the banquet c65a53ad31 hall, cloak 66073bb675 trailing behind, b61064da04 I followed 46d93186bb a few 19abca1bd8 steps behind.59deacdebf02e23e

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Viter leaned in and whispered, “Did he tell you who his first dance partner is?”3b2bfba0de6aadba

“I don’t know either.”361c96a481fe0db3

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“What have you been doing all this time? Aren’t you going to ask for an outing pass?”f3e1155e85f2a862

“Oh, it’s not necessary.”d52e869164d23b77

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There’s no point threatening me with that anymore.c9321d3ba8a800aa

If all goes well c5c940d886 with Marquis Caeon, I b57990083f won’t even be in bfd4d185c0 the mansion tomorrow night.a336a2d180cdd48e

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