ETDO Chapter 18

After that, there were no significant changes in our lives. The only difference was that the three of us were doing things together much more often than before. No matter how much I tried to avoid Ethan, it was unavoidable.

Arthur insisted on including Ethan in activities that we used to do together, just the two of us, like having tea in the garden. And as we spent time together, something urgent would always come up for Arthur to deal with.

As a result, I and Ethan were always left alone after starting out as a three. I sometimes wondered if it was intentional, disguised as coincidence, but Arthur seemed genuinely too busy for that. He was always apologetic and flustered whenever I sulked.

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Because of this, I noticed that Ethan was a little different when it was just the two of us. He had become noticeably gentler. While still seemingly indifferent, he surprisingly remembered small details about me, often to my astonishment.

The uncomfortable feeling hadn’t entirely disappeared, but things were definitely better than before. Nevertheless, I couldn’t relax completely because of the strange things Ethan had said in the ballroom.

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There was gossip going around because of Lady Wellington’s abrupt disappearance from the birthday party. The Wellington family remained silent, but it felt like negative rumors had already spread throughout high society.

Perhaps because of their long engagement and the significant influence of both families within the Empire, the impact was inevitably large. While no one directly questioned me, it was clear that there was much speculation. Unlike the two men, who didn’t seem to care much about this, I felt increasingly apprehensive.

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─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

One exceptionally sunny day, after a week of torrential rain, Arthur and Ethan took a day off. Excited about having a whole day to relax for the first time in a while, Arthur took Ethan and me on a picnic.

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At the edge of the Duke’s estate, by the lake, a white pavilion stood on a beautifully grassed plain by the water’s edge. White walls and windows, along with white linen curtains, fluttered in the breeze. Inside, there was a large sofa and a rocking chair.

“Wow…”

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It was my first time there. And it was absolutely beautiful.

“I knew you’d like it.”

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Arthur smiled. I nodded enthusiastically, determined to bring a book and visit often. I planned to spend entire days there, relaxing.

The blue sky, the profusion of flowers, the cool shade under the large trees, the gentle breeze, and the lake shimmering brilliantly under the clear sunlight. Perfect weather and a perfect location.

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We spread several blankets under the shade of a large chestnut tree and unpacked the picnic baskets. The food Mrs. Wilson had carefully prepared was delicious.

As we started to sweat slightly in the early summer weather, the two men spontaneously jumped into the lake. I was startled when they suddenly, casually, stripped off their clothes.

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As husband and wife, I had seen Arthur’s body before, but not Ethan’s. I quickly covered my eyes with my hands and turned my head away.

‘Good heavens, why so suddenly and indecently…!’

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But in the end, unable to overcome my curiosity, I peeked at them through my fingers. And I didn’t regret it. It was a truly fantastic sight.

Both of them had lean, well-proportioned bodies with just the right amount of muscle. Seeing Ethan’s body for the first time, I didn’t know where to look, my face flushed. I was both entranced and incredibly embarrassed.

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“Haha!”

I lay on the blanket, mesmerized, watching the two of them playing in the water. Two identical, incredibly handsome men, with bodies as sculpted as statues in a temple, were splashing each other playfully. Their faces, laughing like innocent children, were lit with refreshing smiles.

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The brilliant sunlight from the clear blue sky fell upon their golden hair. The warm air of early summer was carried on the gentle breeze. It was good. 

All of it. 

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I sincerely wished this peace would last.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

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The day the letter in question arrived was the morning after the torrential rain, which had been pouring down for a week since the picnic, had momentarily stopped.

It was a report that a remote mountain village at the edge of the Beaufort estate had suffered a devastating flood, resulting in numerous casualties and displaced people.

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Hundreds were dead, injured, or missing. The enormous amount of rainwater that had poured down for days had washed away swathes of earth from the mountain, and the resulting landslides had claimed countless lives.

The local administrator in charge of the area desperately requested help from the Duke, as all administration was paralyzed, roads were cut off, and they were in danger of being completely isolated.

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Arthur prepared carriages and relief supplies with utmost haste. Watching him rushing around, I fidgeted, feeling inexplicably anxious and uneasy.

Hesitant to ask him not to leave me alone, or to request to go with him, I watched as Arthur quickly departed.

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“Don’t worry and wait comfortably, Lily. I’ll be back soon.”

I resolved to be as careful as possible and stay quiet until he returned. To be as inconspicuous as possible, minimizing my movements.

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Especially around Ethan. I wouldn’t go anywhere near him. Though I hadn’t shown it, my subconscious seemed to have taken his words seriously.

Perhaps, unknowingly, I had become aware of the warning signals my instincts were sending. The warning that no matter how gentle he seemed, a wolf could never become a rabbit.

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─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

‘This is quite interesting.’

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Arthur muttered to himself. 

The situation caused by the heavy rain, though unintentional, provided a convenient excuse. He had intended to leave, creating any excuse necessary. But this… well, this was as if the heavens had deliberately arranged it for them.

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He smiled faintly. It was the very smile that Ethan sarcastically called the epitome of insincerity, a smile unique to Arthur.

Of course, others didn’t see it that way, nor did they call it that. Those who didn’t know his true nature were too busy praising the benevolent, saint-like Duke of Beaufort.

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No one, except his twin, knew his true intentions or desires. And he had never been bothered with that fact. He didn’t want anyone else, besides Ethan, to see his sinister and ugly true nature.

Those who openly expressed their emotions might be praised for their honesty, but they weren’t wise. Especially for those like them, who held considerable influence and had great value to be exploited, revealing one’s true feelings was akin to self-sabotage.

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Thanks to their unique circumstances as twins and the twisted environment they grew up in, they learned to hide their emotions and thoughts at a very young age.

While Ethan concealed his true self behind a cold and aloof mask, Arthur hid his behind a gentle and compliant face, always wearing a smile. And that mask was no exception for Lily.

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‘It can’t be helped even if my wife comes to despise me.’

Perhaps from now on, he would have to prepare for not mere contempt, but even greater condemnation. What he and Ethan were about to do was far beyond the bounds of common sense, something this rigid and antiquated society would never condone.

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Nevertheless, there was no other way. Like a single log bridge across a chasm, there was no other choice from the beginning.

In truth, he still believed that he had the prior claim to Lily, since he was the one who found her first. That’s why he had silently accepted Ethan’s furious accusations of selfishly monopolizing Lily all to himself.

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Unlike Ethan, Arthur had never forgotten his resolve to find Lily, even in the face of the harsh reality of his father’s madness and the issue of succession. His twisted affection and morbid obsession with her were irresistible.

Any attempt to prevent Ethan from approaching Lily would have failed anyway. While Ethan was at war, he had tried, for the first time in his life, to separate himself from his twin, and he had failed miserably.

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They were in a strange symbiotic relationship, unable to live without each other, yet at the same time, harboring a subtle rivalry. But this was the true nature of their twinship.

Therefore, it was only natural that Ethan would be aroused by the same person that drove him to lose his mind, and Arthur’s attempt at separation, which had been impure from the start, was destined to fail. He had simply come to realize it clearly now.

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In the end, they had no choice but to compromise. Ethan was not just his brother, but also his friend and guardian angel. He was the blood relative and companion Arthur loved the most in the world.

Since the two of them were connected by a single mind, sharing the same body, it was only natural that they would also share what they desired most.

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“But don’t be too rough with her. She definitely likes you, too, deep down.”

“I hope you’re right.”

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“Just wait and see, you’ll find out I’m telling the truth. Wait until I send you a letter.” 

“Just go and come back safely.”

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Arthur looked through the window at the faces of Lily, Ethan, the butler, and the servants who had come out to see him off. He smiled gently at his wife, who was standing there with a dazed expression.

“Please return safely, Your Grace!”

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James bowed his head, and all the servants followed suit. Lily looked as if she were about to burst into tears. As Arthur waved, the carriage began to move.

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