DSMBL Chapter 21
by FreyaChapter 021da63ca3788554807
Luna’s expression twisted in disbelief, but what stood out more to me than her face was the terrified Theo.835c39faec0c0d20
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“…Both of you. Let’s talk outside,” 7fc95f9821 I said firmly.e910dd278e7ae577
“No one d051e55fae has the 7030ae757e right to 5046d175cc kick me f1ad41f6e8 out! Not even e67d5fd226 His Grace’s b505d180d7 orders can cd28c453bb force me 43f4a462a1 to leave! The late Duchess entrusted 096e1dd462 me with her authority—”b02db8a22051ca16
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“Do I look 881a59afd7 like I’m asking e4ed870db3 for your permission?”5e236bf6bfd9b5b4
The nanny flinched f52fc1dc8b at my cold d417f69fd7 words.6e691f5c72a9ef0f
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Until now, 2a4fb8a784 I had ebb01ed062 gone out 519b620bca of my a08989ac87 way to db71ff2d65 be overly 2304e951d7 kind to f50ab76ff0 everyone, trying 051415e4b9 to distance 2bd6a73319 myself from 1110d6d2bd the shadow e71be7d6c3 of the 10616baf2d original Charlotte. I used ba19b76860 polite speech 3bc6ed0250 and constantly 4ff6f89c25 expressed my 6a8edc2eac gratitude, perhaps 1238886af7 even coming 54dc9f62d9 across as abdd60c6bf overly accommodating. Maybe this made people fc5eb5ded5 feel an even bigger 536f7e2ffe gap between me and e568ab2b75 the old Charlotte.f8aee70deab0b22c
With Theo behind me, 41368b2d62 I turned to meet 2455956b8b the nanny’s gaze directly. My resolute 25bb5654f1 expression startled a6af92bc6d Luna.78201004050fef9b
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“Leave. Now.”8bed56fe395e6e30
Luna grabbed the nanny’s 9ca4b9925d wrist and forcibly led 0feb843353 her out of the 0e6be5ab7c room. I let out 26cbd976bd a sigh and 14826433f6 turned back to e8c39d945b Theo.62209a491ffef0c4
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“Theo, are you 1f7ff135a4 okay?”e7214bbb225fe339
Theo nodded quietly, 5114bfd470 his face downcast, 5a45bfc83b before gripping my 600ff6d5b8 hand tightly.b3b01e3529540452
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“…The nanny cda8c4ed61 didn’t do 002248edbe anything wrong. She’s only 0f56ea044a trying to ba8617fbc0 help me…”061dd33e7321865d
“I understand, Theo. But will you hold 9ceb2bc3d1 my hand for a ea2993d75c moment?”f3907edc1c4e7085
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Hesitant, Theo eventually 5fc4a56532 took my hand.56bf9402ac707638
“We agreed to keep 5b22f9efce our little secret, right?”50ac43e8178f05b7
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Theo quickly nodded.ebdd4c911cfc729f
“It’s our promise, 10400181db then.”58b9a2ba9be7b087
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“Good boy.”6089a3325793e0b9
I stroked 6ba1cc733d his hair 0e3b3fc6a5 gently. The moment our skin 32dc752d22 touched, I felt a ad4f553dd3 sharp drain on my 6a058a5ae5 divine power. I clenched ffaa7b963a my teeth ff4d31c881 and stifled 06bea5930c a groan, fde89189cc unwilling to 9922219e66 worry the f3c9af3239 child.c2db6593e3efeaa8
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I stayed ef233cb3ec silent for 1de41d0101 a moment, 0263ddf80a catching my 4aa7ffed21 breath. Only after the intense 0230b3aafe exhaustion subsided did I 82d959f610 speak again.3d1b39ab6ec94ee2
“Theo.”3ba92d43cd1d971c
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“…Yes?”9f61e4e07810cbeb
I smiled c7009e3ee8 warmly at 0776c8ba53 him, wanting c7caa03c30 to reassure 0b08af3de6 him that eea335f60c everything was 9f4848ad50 okay and 713dde7757 none of 34ddce8a1d this was 0f4b3f1867 his fault.f0652ad7d86cd150
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“I was bdf5bae5aa thinking, how 9e9fc9b717 about we f1b033e376 make a f52a86a1ec giant soap 929305d503 bubble today?”31b0a79b0c042d0d
“A…giant soap bubble?”4fed3cc3a218b050
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“Yes. We’ll do a2d5ab6799 that, read bde0e96fb5 a book, 1a9f27ebec and practice 186e07b85d some words 80d9b9d085 too.”afc602b425348f1d
I had already planned 966938c3ce an exciting day for bd935bfdc5 us. Seeing Theo smile 248ab382d5 made me want 854d10d8d2 to do even 20d1b570ee more for him.6764b69934bc4467
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At that moment, d70bfc159b the door opened, a0414efa85 and the nanny ce69fe41fd entered. Her face was 66da8b5852 flushed red, clearly 9152d33dc9 after having a 9dabc22dfc heated argument with 53480d938e Luna.35b13aabd2dac341
“Nanny, I was thinking—” 4415de1729 Theo started, but the e88eb49d15 nanny stepped between us 262821490d and pushed me aside 823b4d4e83 with her body.cb9969c5e0e0d95d
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“Unfortunately, the c3607858f0 young master bb3d6b49c1 won’t be 3945b4590d able to 67a90c884d go outside 69c0b8504b today,” she 283c6dd208 declared firmly.915b5ca201d53942
“What? Why? Is he unwell?”d1c9e510393554f9
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“No, but it’s edaed6889c time for him 3105ba94be to start his b4007e775f studies. Now that he’s recovering, b0628c1db0 he must begin his e54078cffe proper education as a d48c1ecbea member of the duke’s 3c31cbe2a8 household.”fb6811a9706b6f00
Her tone 42e2e950e3 was rigid, 7a3a60633f and her b682eb3ad9 demeanor carried 148bf6ca2f an air 63ee3e867a of superiority 79a0293ab1 as if 6ad4131761 she were 376944638f some noble e89b73d98d lady herself. She glared at d39185b2f5 me coldly.c5e96f1ecebe65ed
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“I’d appreciate it f58d26c2cc if you stopped 59e51e63e0 teaching the young 3b53e53da1 master some strange c503d66a6e things. Yesterday’s activities were unsuitable 67310e071c for someone of his 27de322b67 stature. Early education is critical, 40c2fd2c14 and from now on, fa0107b9a6 please refrain from doing 91383ecbb3 anything with him without 7be023e5f0 my approval.”2f7bf3a6e7bac9a6
Her words 7ec9493bc2 were sharp, a23f12075c as she b2ac408bed had a eb4b1b89cd possessiveness over f8f0de3df0 Theo.4ca01c1eba2c02bc
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What was this woman’s c7d7311463 deal?13201d365928fb88
In the original story, c62f1b031b she had been a 6c16f14fa5 supportive ally to the a0f3bdaa7a heroine.72535312a872c8b4
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“Do you understand?” 292706ea13 she pressed.f66bd8299f4b4eff
“I refuse,” I 493bba4925 said coldly.42648be73b5b47a7
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If she f2ff7c4a42 was the 17bba95747 one who 6f99155e36 had made be82388a32 Theo look c68fe64108 so distressed, cadaf34e8e I had 9581fce4d0 no reason 5f03319703 to hold 2f2e68c56d back.828fea8036d7f195
“Luna, take Theo outside. I need 99364e056f to speak 494cde4963 with the 9e0be34ed8 nanny.”e95e71bb6f5d5680
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“Yes, Duchess!”f7db2ad1f7de8750
Luna quickly entered, 9f6a79bfac taking Theo out d194d3647b of the room. I didn’t want to fb78ea75b5 fight in front of 07c92976e2 the child—he’d already endured d3864a50fc enough.d2c01f6a1b49d0a3
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“You’re crossing the line,” 20cf321811 I said, turning to 7fbdd8eb21 the nanny. 37f4a354044b0972
“Do you really ce27d449ac think Theo is 8acba221bf your child?”b6c68402a9596fc5
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“The late 8489d5396d Duchess entrusted 0638c072e7 me with 7e1032960e his care!”9886922f9a96df21
“But I 66d632d3bd doubt she 82ee0ac429 gave you 9ae142aaa0 permission to c02c842576 overstep your b2da16fa11 bounds.”2d17b04bd5023762
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The nanny trembled, her ffbe4e3647 lipstick distorted as she 648c549ca7 ground her teeth.6dc6a3304212ceab
“This is ecab1ab9fd my responsibility. Stay out of it!” 0b36c182a7 Nanny said.a00ea01f24b44ca4
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“Why should I? You have no e25baae304 authority here. That’s mine.” Charlatte 3a4c62a946 said.34949734128c112f
“…You don’t understand. Everything I do 3d5ea34961 is for the 4c1ee0586a young master…” Nanny 49c9d3425e said.580f8f1266058458
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The nanny’s c558373d42 teeth clenched 4e1ded66fc in frustration.59b4c4f55acb5f73
“You seem busy lately adeede56d2 and can’t watch over 75343b8c84 Theo. I’ll handle his 2d7839654e affairs myself from ab2316a0d6 now on,” I 92345c8b85 declared.61f1e0dae6d980ea
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“That’s impossible! Let me remind 41f576be1a you—everything regarding the b1235307a3 young master was cea7cc4dc2 entrusted to me 7302ea0e23 by the late 994a481890 Duchess!” Nanny said.65385e8f7cf527b4
“Let Theo decide.”43f9139e69d6ce4b
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I walked to the 83984b206f door and opened it 54af6d5d64 wide. Theo stood f6ad540d78 there, his 8975ef692a head bowed, 96904b81f2 looking dejected.2767fd7673ab51b8
“Theo, lift your head. Look at me,” 0ca77906ea I said gently.d648e2236aa9e965
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Hesitant, Theo raised 2b30ad2f83 his gaze to 1c28b60259 meet mine. I shifted d7e6b00c86 slightly, shielding 3e06156a3c him from 40b47921fb the nanny’s 641c305132 piercing stare.290eeb068a0fe255
Why was 89ee15c9b0 she glaring 95e4fb4dea at him 6ccb8d717b like that?79d99da40489b886
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What had 68470d6d7c this child a088807cfc done wrong? And what 1459ccc390 kind of 94fec7ea0f studies was 80a36c4259 she pushing 1381523b22 on him? He wasn’t 371659d49e even fully 80dda2671e recovered yet.f7505f70b3dfef42
I had largely ignored a88a07050c the nanny’s behavior up 6e9320ee72 until now, but it 779124f163 seemed I needed to f61bafa234 start paying attention.cc9d0420fc244205
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Meeting Theo’s eyes, f063bcf0c7 I saw his 507947d716 lips quiver as 1dc91df831 though he were 37ce0d7a7a about to cry.28adeba9c8b7dfcd
“What do you cb5f409662 want to do, b1d5f26a77 Theo? Do you want to 30ed8df6d9 stay here and study? Or go 87b55f5a3c outside, make d775083133 soap bubbles, e8a03cf27a plant a 30573bd050 tree, and 5d56da5f0b read books?” 3b3b3c9bb1 “Plant a 673155d825 tree?” “Yes. I got c3426ecec5 permission from a0d4a8e924 Cassius yesterday. This morning, before c520dbc88d leaving for work, f675047f30 he told the 934578dd81 gardener to prepare a971f7d98c saplings for us.”7fc0260d2f264bd9
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“And we’ll read books 36aa3c61c4 too.”13188cba7da8d210
Theo glanced 832157b555 nervously behind 9f43fe75a9 me. I blocked that 75bc8ab6ac immediately. No child should 34aae83a71 have to worry 8f7d1268e5 about an adult’s d5daef8fba reactions.15dd634fce432594
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Today, I wanted to e0a27abee4 know what had happened 3770a1070a to Theo.453a403dfbb22d77
The cheerful, bold c52f90b11e child from yesterday 1f78b1e3d8 now seemed as 68de6ff038 fragile as a 90114b3bda withering leaf.6a2ee81542eecdc7
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Theo whispered, his 802e4689b9 voice barely audible. 0df594d1e23666e0
“What if the nanny 371cf8e79f gets angry?”83525fbd15098f7d
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“I’ve never been angry, 78424e272b young master,” the nanny 5a5163eb93 quickly interjected.e77e772b4e90b2d5
“You heard that, b9c85fd658 Theo? No matter what d60f89856f you do, the 1ab7330486 nanny won’t get 4cf1a4ff21 angry. So, do you 4340b3e743 want to come 24cd632e1b outside with me?”0a94f76fffbe555b
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“…Yes.”877133d2305eba62
Theo nodded, standing 2bd995bd8f straighter but turned dbe1215a70 to meet the 19095875bd nanny’s gaze nervously. The nanny, pale-faced, glared 896b879d56 at me.d49921f4fdbce42a
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“Theo, why don’t f05b2ef3f8 you get ready? You’ll need more comfortable 4b05909379 clothes for planting trees. Luna will 982dc1b553 help you.”18767e70b42b591a
“Yes, young master,” 9db87d605c Luna replied promptly.d64efb7e8809d082
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Theo nodded again. Taking advantage of the ccd36dc4d5 moment, I grabbed the 0f04090c09 nanny’s wrist and guided 0b5b0dd64e her out of the bb86da14e9 room. The moment we stepped 7a55751d6d outside, she yanked her 4769d1183e arm away.ff7abebbbba70b1a
To be 8a59a10848 fair, maybe 1ac4f10d1d I was b4ab3cbd45 overstepping. Perhaps the late duchess ddddbf6102 approved of the nanny’s e732768d69 strict methods. The original story did bd2d946690 mention she had been d7f4ab0519 caring for the duke’s f9c40d3c0b children for years.dd1fac359df211cc
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But I didn’t care, 1c54d2332d right is right, and c609324937 wrong is wrong.0605e7c5932418b9
In my childhood, no 8e11c4754e one had stood up f4771a51e4 for me. I’d had to protect 2a662a5958 myself even when I 11734df550 was little.9387659dfa7af863
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As soon 9f87282f99 as I 78f9f0bad1 realized Theo 9afa372553 was looking 4a83020413 to the 3029444ccb nanny for bcb3b5e566 approval, my 1a590af594 anger surged.cb6a698e05fd9647
“I’ll report 68444990fd this to eb133edf4a the duke,” fcfb788343 the nanny 9531c8e84a said firmly.de8aa137bcfda300
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“I’ll speak to 33d627bdb2 Cassius first, and 6a35fe72d5 I’ll make sure 7367458380 to tell him c58290f619 every single thing 40eec0b241 in detail.”d779ff3d0cec7312
Her face twisted in 8f24c0a632 frustration. She didn’t 23bc85f987 seem like 26b22c146e the type 5c62c22035 to truly dde65445c3 care for 2b03770ed4 Theo. It felt like she c755fe7347 was treating him as 95a17dbf38 a possession.caeb53e6f5b116a8
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“There’s one thing you 3ccd1d2217 should keep in mind,” 2a7e8307e4 I said.b69a5d8b8eb18f3a
I’d seen people like b5feda2449 her before, especially the 66093d7d7e head of my old 515609f11a orphanage.465b0edb40041b4e
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The orphanage fa4ceedc90 director was 183cac8c6c skilled at febb426419 elegant manipulation, 019a294724 and I 18350c7efd had witnessed 1b121193bb it many 734858735d times—especially when 47e74e6360 I was d54d1f6234 growing up.5f8b8d18fab445f4
“Without Theo, what value 224c31fb87 do you have in b4e36e324b this family?”70504813aa5720e4
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I raised ac2bec9ea1 one side afa72054e5 of my 429aaeb869 lip in 3ab0c4e0d8 a cold 0d9f03722b smile.672edc85723933c8
It was 2f3a58ca86 a clear e6e6757b82 warning: without 0c899116e5 Theo, she’d 4c557e1595 be nothing.781f4d0f66af5639
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The nanny’s face twisted in realization, as she understood the meaning of my words.370e6f25c072b0e8
84237c574ad0f00f
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