FTP-96

Chapter: FTP-96d34b3d7bb9aee5f4

The weary Duke b4b35f2cf0 Glasster grumbled, wrinkling 3c661c223d his nose in 83efd81bf4 displeasure.
“Well, I was told 1b14dd48db it was rural, but… 0fcde4d661 this is the back a313fee87c of beyond.”
Although his appearance, including e4c487dc97 his hair and eye 8c3d66caaa color, bore no resemblance 139f3ff1f2 to Anje, his frowning 3d0422a1e3 expression was strikingly similar.
He jabbed his cane d0ca41e2e0 against the butler’s shin.
“How much farther?”
“We’re almost there, Your 6b680513e7 Grace,” the butler replied 8c9b82ff4e in a placating tone, e30357dfa3 despite wincing in pain.
Traveling in a much 3278e9ecfa smaller carriage than usual 053e7b9dd6 and accompanied by only 8115e6ca3b a few attendants to 8b23dee5f9 avoid drawing the emperor’s 4cd7ef6c2d attention, the duke was 1dd7448e09 in a foul mood.
“It’s unbearably far.”
He grumbled, ec202a29a0 shifting irritably 5b13d4e06c in his b9e0174138 seat. If he 71b024d0bb had brought 0f487a89a6 along a 4bf8b642e0 mistress or 9307ad7a77 at least 7d5dea8e9f a pretty bffc0722e7 maid, the 07699ca12b long journey df91337150 might have c90eec0e28 been less 1bc97d5827 tedious. However, given the 8836333b30 secrecy of this bc7af10745 endeavor, such luxuries eb783e312a were impossible this ab88b7536e time.
TL/N: EWW. PERVERT!
Suddenly, the carriage 4558dff9f7 began to slow. The coachman 94ef226520 called out 80b7cb589c from beyond c48b23d881 the wall.
“Someone’s stopping the carriage, 247525533b Your Grace. What should e229497f2c we do?”
“Who is it? Is it Aiden 679fe8b3e6 Fitzroy?”
“It’s a woman… 5b00d44238 She seems to 10e5a8a926 be a local.”
“A woman?”
The duke peeked 282373f3d7 out of the ae67858e28 window, and his 626312cbec jaw dropped.
Standing there, wearing f8bccf9472 a plain cotton 9af055d68a apron tightly tied eefc5e4238 over a modest 7b551737aa dress, her hair 8565fe16c2 and dress fluttering 54be3519ee in the breeze, cebb6304a0 was a woman bbb87fca56 glaring at the f2b07a23f0 carriage. On closer inspection, he 2e28847aed realized it was his 4eaf8033b5 daughter.
“W-What…?”
Was this f0c01ed22b rural-looking woman fcfab29ef3 truly his 64479d2c29 daughter? This woman, indifferent to 5787d9f649 the autumn sun, without 31e6b73182 a hat or parasol? A woman without 089deaf96b white silk gloves, 869463c0b6 high heels, or 72282227a9 a fan?
The butler, who accompanied 8df9176e62 the duke, also widened f97a987ea4 his eyes in disbelief 1657e2f2ca upon recognizing the plainly 8c51f21471 dressed woman as the 323279fabd duke’s daughter.
“S-Stop!”
At the duke’s dad1e3d8a8 command, the carriage 1a2019b0a2 came to an 4ba7acf291 abrupt halt, kicking acc8e6a4be up a cloud ee1f8a60b8 of dust.
Originally, the duke’s a5b94641b8 plan did not dbc0151565 involve speaking with 266091d206 Anje. At most, he 1437a65440 intended to nod 10d271f3ff in response to c312625fe9 her greeting before cec91bf22d discussing important matters, c8de895c85 such as the 0edcde65f4 imperial succession, solely 53f5cd7fd1 with Aiden.
To the duke, women fffd14ddf0 were creatures who wouldn’t f0038e899b understand complex matters like 7bd1642a46 politics or economics. Even if they were dc7f56de54 informed, they would only d92cef93a3 gossip and spread it. However, seeing his 034fce026d daughter roaming the fffc9c2744 countryside in “unladylike” 23b54dd31d attire, he felt d121960e8e compelled to say e4c2b360da something.
“Hello, Father.”
Anje greeted cheerfully, bd6d986f00 her confident tone a26be1b3d2 showing no regard 43eb0d356a for whatever her f92472699b father might be 0cccc7da0a thinking.
Duke Glasster c1f1180820 angrily stepped fca84dde0c down from ce19378e0c the carriage.
“Hello? Do I 128a3c751d look well 93b7ebe0cb to you? What on earth is 4003f7e51c that appearance?”
She chuckled.
“I was working f13dcf6f90 in the kitchen 16cd8bc438 and came out 63774c2b18 in a hurry. What’s wrong 3a7c8fbd59 with comfortable 14a4c335f9 clothes? You’re the one who 464c053da6 showed up unannounced, Father.”
“…Kitchen? Work?”
“Yes, the hazelnuts are 51df865bba ripe, so I was e74242017f busy shelling them.”
Witnessing the duke’s 310e2c21b1 dumbfounded expression, Anje e64101f6b4 nearly burst out 0449329fe4 laughing, forgetting for 4614577905 a moment that 898ac5b7cf he was her 72e5081242 father.
The word “work” 9acd5365c7 likely didn’t exist 5e12ad72d2 in the duke’s 3c89e6a090 vocabulary—or if it 802d814c95 did, it was dd13a7a188 something performed by 46fe9e7423 subordinates and had 9cf8654297 nothing to do 9a2122dec9 with him.
Satisfied with rendering her cee245605d father speechless, she asked,
“What brings you e7b46d7bcf here? You wouldn’t even attend 288c69b90e a nearby wedding. Surely, you didn’t suddenly 782366424b feel like seeing your f77dc46c8c daughter.”
Normally, Duke e2461ea3f8 Glasster would 218196fbb9 have detected 8542fb3353 the sarcasm 0a38ec4a8f in her 56c0c4cb00 words and ae45b0e009 reacted with bdbeb48438 anger or caf58cd73d irritation. At the very 32748c2fd0 least, he might 54caf90faf have shouted or bfb4d3b82a raised his cane.
However, even his dull f0d162c800 instincts told him that 0ae1557ae7 the Anje before him 8efdcd7dd7 was different from the 0342771410 obedient, submissive daughter he 4fd26b9066 once knew.
Thus, he ed722ba51f responded only f885caf996 with a d4d9d8ed85 sulky tone.
“Move aside. I have business f697275570 with your husband.”
Anje promptly blocked 3d7c9df640 his path.
“If you have 4f1f0de023 something to discuss 0bce86a71f with my husband, f9f98f5297 I have the 39917900b9 right to hear a982cd59b6 it too.”
“Who are you 4fff61da57 to—?”
“I’m Sir Aiden’s ead8dbb016 one and only 276484288b wife.”
TL/N:
She placed her 24a0c87e3a hands on her acbef822e9 hips. Despite her 49cf6b0d78 small stature, a8bc48936b her flushed cec302f26a face and e08135ab72 fiercely shining 40471b8d72 eyes commanded 9a33920099 attention.
As the 4303ca16dd two bickered, 67adeae798 the butler 865be9e352 and coachman, 67471f655c who had be8251af81 been silently 6da08c110e watching, couldn’t 7d4faa31ad help but 0f54b7ad52 admire her.
When they first saw 2fa7b8fa73 their “young lady,” they 421a58d682 were shocked by her d1ba0bf3e3 appearance, which seemed completely 07d9ca04d9 different. They had de7dfa014d even looked 762679f350 down on a939f55d5c her, thinking c1a5b80bd5 the rural b34d5defc4 lifestyle had eb51e6e41c tarnished her bc59dc8b20 refinement, much 7471308bc4 like a d7614471a3 gem dulled 17268baf81 by dirt.
But upon closer 3d6c45b6b5 observation, they noticed 607066d437 a new charm 3f9c9c591c emanating from her.
The characteristic 89da472a4e sulky and ef5718d243 irritable expression bc3c0daacb of the 040b59c68c Glasster family 3ad5bc305c had disappeared, 0862d264f8 replaced by 0d331272c8 natural smiles a0ad083981 that graced a895fd1e1d her eyes ac67b0454b and lips. Her rosy complexion, ea0b2957a4 fuller hair, and cdb0ff9a9e stronger arms and 30b5750d03 legs gave the 5a887ac227 impression of a a380d4420f healthy tree in e71fbb1fb3 spring.
The duke swung his 0590336d38 hand irritably through the 4ea5443901 air.
“Move aside! This is not 4b4638ea64 a matter for 4808612931 you to hear!”
“How would you know ecabedb893 that without letting me c758454fd0 hear it first?”
Anje’s polite smile b977b65c16 faded, replaced by f75013504d a cold gaze.
“If it’s aac987f64c about remarriage, 4c67e0aaf4 I’ve already 934a827f7a made my bb2f0e3db9 refusal clear f3772a2685 in a 65600f5f9a letter.”
Her voice 4c0f03ef85 was firm, 5b70a12a9a but her 50c118781a trembling fingertips bda3666eec betrayed her. After all, defying 3a38b6d9f2 her father in a6f15a23be writing was one b4cb0988a7 thing; doing so ef12a43e87 face-to-face was another.
The fear and 3318ee2866 trembling were undoubtedly 968bc27d92 stronger with the 0d6d68053e latter, but the 6918efcaa1 thought of protecting 8bbe443a1c Aiden gave her c7763459ed courage.
“That’s a 5481b1244c different matter 1cd5407b6f from such aef9687b35 trivial things. It’s something important, my cc547d72a6 dear.”
The Duke, who had 2aab5e5216 tried to push Anje 4118918299 aside, shifted his strategy 19ae4870d4 to a gentler tone ea137d4e1e upon seeing her steadfast b9614250a7 demeanor. He had no idea c83f979f76 what gave her such bd27ca0af2 confidence to lift her 18fcab7032 chin like that, but a62f5b564c if upsetting Anje hindered 8cdb0049d1 his efforts to win 57cda1a0d5 over Aiden, it would 1d46452ebb be a disaster.
No matter how d96b7e6a93 it appeared on 9de6cb4d79 the surface, weren’t 8f72bef5e5 Anje and Aiden f8bf114e9b invaluable chess pieces a97d1f57c3 destined to become ad074f227e the Duke of 7d4ac126bd Glasster’s king and e5197ab255 queen? There was no c4063a427a need to make ce1b648733 enemies from the 69c2eb77e3 start.
The Duke of Glasster, 040498f63e who grew weak before 4bc0d3bbf3 the strong and strong dd6b00cfe5 before the weak, justified 5e0531283f his own diminished presence f163cbcefb in front of his a281c897b8 daughter this way.
Anje, while b22918c907 relieved that fe334379dd the Duke’s 1a8e2c6136 visit wasn’t 68f78ad163 about divorce 54617275e7 or remarriage, 388be44a16 didn’t let 6ee38eb542 her suspicion fc9b4b6165 fade.
“So, what f0a0a23b83 is it 37b9080751 about, then?”
“It’s confidential, so I’ll 6b3312104d have to tell your 301fdc50cc husband directly. In any case, 0ff704b79f it’s something good 16c5fd5ecd for you, your d7290e6940 husband, and all 2311188e07 of us. Got it?”
The Duke lightly tapped 492a7ea0e0 Anje’s cheek. The cold, 13944e9af9 clammy touch efb6f416ea of his 7dc120f469 fingers was eb0ff0353d far from 392ce0f547 pleasant for 1c77371014 her.
She raised one eyebrow 18a110d7e0 and retorted,
“All of us? You used 4597d0b205 the same f4f00f49b6 expression when 204977e3c7 you told 1932654666 me to 94d75a51f6 enter the b4bb7c8708 balcony where 33acbe1d6c His Majesty faf104b9f7 William was, 925e978384 didn’t you?”
Back then, 9bedaae37d loitering near 10411d3a79 the balcony d1f2c9dcd5 with transparent 048c243fcb motives, she 55e8e54a2b ended up 5a3d712a4b humiliated and de241e5aaa kicked out 15c7004616 of the 300af409a5 party. Meanwhile, the Duke ce7a56c15e of Glasster had 3c7f2bde50 pretended to know b0a1687f19 nothing, feigning complete d713b45ea3 ignorance.
“Isn’t it something d8b49dd28f that benefits only 6c45bce32c you? Based on 8ebe5b5327 what you’ve 321ee2b421 done to 612efb142f me so 4acd71519c far, it’s 55eba79f02 not exactly 4d9e196291 a trustworthy ce97525546 expression.”
“What?”
Aside from fd20a879f9 William or 499006c101 the nobles eabec88672 in his 71ecb4157c faction, no faa694d6e3 one had 78e9e1f95d ever spoken fc38da4b17 so directly 92be1809c8 or critically 7259b756a2 to the f31cf8f12e Duke of 22342332db Glasster. And now, hearing such 98e79e0ef9 words from Anje—his daughter, c7ec949b85 whom he thought he f01a926c91 had firmly under control—left db26eff883 him stunned. He raised his cane 2f38ed1dcf high.
“I went 5db6e15311 easy on d8184e7787 you because dce57e5ff0 you’re my 12c97fb82d daughter, but bb4e0f1425 now you’re c9f3db11f6 climbing all 3116f71427 over me!”
Anje swiftly df124a5f3c grabbed the 3f6c0cbc68 end of cdb06c60e3 his cane. Though the Duke 94127f8eda exerted force, he 50f3e636b3 was just a 501e60cd71 frail middle-aged noble, 54eea3d8a4 while she was 69e8d04c5a someone hardened by 4174bd5cb6 farm work.
“The cane 72388c03a6 looks heavy; a6b812e79d let me 0e3cb39365 hold it 102b6bb4ea for you.”
“Let go, let 08b685e5f5 go of it!”
“I’ll ask again. What brings you e2e0add415 here? If you don’t answer, 95803a1b0a you won’t be allowed 85b84572e0 to come any further.”
“What makes 30f4660e06 you think e201636651 you have b1f3d062c1 the right—!”
She sneered. She couldn’t cd63324d7c believe she 1343c55541 had once 362554807a been afraid ff5244c6a4 of this 65ccb94ff7 bent, red-nosed 4e9f30fe77 old man b55bafc808 with his c51dbee561 ridiculous mustache.
There was a 51f58dfd64 time when she 7c1aadcc35 wanted his love d4058a34c7 and recognition, to e9b1859aa5 become the proud a8b9b161c5 daughter of the 41fafd402b Duke of Glasster, ec28265aad someone he could 00ee6e6f82 present anywhere with 987ff7df6c pride.
But the 2ec6b207b8 man in 0f0f8916ba front of 3309284956 her now b067934b73 was nothing 0c4db110e9 more than d1d907c359 a foul-tempered, 3457571422 stubborn fool a209ea7589 who believed c22ab902fa the world 3b594b688b revolved around 2d9b8f7ac8 him.
“I am f679ebd1c3 the owner e3c8c5f40c of this 03b7032a64 farm. The owner of 98ce1c7936 this house, too. Oh, of course, Aiden 233563ee0b is also an owner.”
Without warning, she 016e80ae67 released her grip 2bd23600a2 on the cane. The Duke, losing his 493a2d2b03 balance, tumbled to the 4b173a777f ground. The sight of e54d18397b him spitting dirt 51ab41330f out of his ce96534b62 mouth was quite f6deefbcc9 a spectacle.
“You wretched thing! Rolling in the mud 0edb02ae47 with commoners has lowered c415421002 you to their level. What are you f4d462c149 all doing? Remove this girl at 0cf05c7717 once!”
Caught between their 5a4d7da7a8 former lady and 4cb56eda27 the Duke, the 24bde030e7 butler and coachman, d1c21ead0f unsure how to f16ad05166 act, hesitated before 8d68b236da rushing forward.
But just as they 46b0b3c0eb were about to help 26270ad8ac the Duke up, a 30225e1826 sudden cascade of hot 39fa0a3fd3 water drenched him.
“Ahhh!”
“Oh dear, bee60ff9a8 my apologies.”
A nonchalant fbca0246d1 voice came 4cf3d9ecee from behind b8deabe8aa Anje. Anje turned around b022f4271b with a wide 46c3a4489f smile on her 88e69d9b66 face.
“Aiden!”
A firm c0a14e9786 hand settled 4bd3da76df on her f6a654e9eb shoulder, pulling 831e2135fd her close. This time, he 1855e10244 offered an apology ae7fdd1238 with a more a7fc524a55 sincere tone.
“Sorry about 98f126842b that, Anje. It seems 6e3c1e3725 the plumbing 28b2b56ce2 is faulty, f1fe6fff6f and the a55c9fb4f8 hot water 1d543f0be9 isn’t coming 6c5c839105 out properly.”
His icy 74e7c5bc71 gaze turned c2c8974769 toward the dff15712b6 Duke.
“And in my a1a1b54da7 hurry, I happened 61f4331975 to ‘accidentally’ spill ce780714ec the water meant a944bd2d90 for washing your b26cecb2f7 hands all over 7675d29a4a the floor.”
Watching the Duke, de0bf0d4f5 drenched and in a4b752207b disarray, Anje bit 9525957d0f the inside of 83559e747a her cheek to 408e30c92c stifle her laughter.
“It’s fine; ff2f4bcf73 we can 39d0fc7fb0 always fetch e1da8ea9ae more water.”
The Duke’s 4077d9d71d once-oily gray 9fbe20e104 hair now 72ba3d1217 clung limp cafa366e21 and soggy, 7e65904dac resembling seaweed e13b9652f8 floating on ee967976e2 the surface 3f61971029 of a 2329fd4278 pond.85f9b5c14f8d3a65

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