Chapter 149

I stared blankly 6800ad457e at Joshua, who 9f44c6c1d8 suddenly burst into 577e26f4b3 tears.dc0cd789b8c04db8

Ever since 030cd2262b he regained fcb6951439 his health, e1d474b40c he hardly 6fba14b263 cried anymore.b772a973c57824a5

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Compared to his 092f7c72e3 older brother’s childhood, 7ccaad3cb1 Joshua still had 4b92e8bdd9 a lot of ee2f7b9981 boyishness left, but df50566ac1 I knew very 5f9d172b04 well how hard a4ccdd4c25 he had tried 2ba59495b3 to act mature 0ecb3ee7db between me and 0837757431 Edwin, who were d093648410 quite precocious for 9484f615fb our ages.5a413644fe5b7cfd

“Huuuuh…”8998221ee6e8fd58

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I looked at 319523f19f Joshua, who was 2cef27a901 crying sorrowfully with 0f19b08c48 big teardrops falling, 89806fc7a9 and felt a 2b385b3cc5 pang of sadness.2887c06154bf1861

Then I gently pulled 9f44c122cf him into a hug.9533f73ae023237c

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He used to be 77c5c130d6 about my size, our f387fedbc2 heights were almost the fb33df5b5e same.a063497423b48062

But now, fc86928d1a his body 8c7ea275df had grown 3a578f9c29 taller and aa98e2db50 stronger, feeling e1df69a6cf unfamiliar against 3a2918f004 me.039a6298a3995aa8

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‘When did he grow 9d35cac653 up so much?’e0308896998a1a99

Even so, a303e965ab he would 0fc5c9f718 always be 0382631daf my closest 1d398c26c7 friend, like ce9c149045 a real 6db924726e younger brother.0f8c5d0cd1afea1b

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The one I saved e79566b18e even by twisting the 917eb79d83 original story.f7a92ecca0f04d83

My first b8a4a9333e patient, and 493fa70c66 my precious a9946c7129 starting point.90585348e4c2e6a0

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I hugged him 2520a891e7 tightly and patted 5470099636 his back.7625ce43d1021e21

“Don’t cry, Josh.”903bbae2a4aaf39b

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“Huuu, huuuh, Siiisssss…”f213a36a772a65c5

“Life’s like that. Sometimes there are people who like you unconditionally, and sometimes there are people who, without any reason, act nasty out of a bad heart.”1c16543bdbab43b5

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I understood exactly why b94eafde86 Joshua was so upset.ad6f746fbfdc9008

It wasn’t c61a377583 just because d32adab7d0 he was 871bd8a611 helplessly bullied b97d5eeadd by Danvers 497fb335c4 Campbell’s gang.20f19c86f0e48466

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It was probably 4d5cd1c3b5 because he had 9be07ee044 genuinely cared for 6cae265b78 them at one 9c3ec7f7d3 point.5a7713502b4aa1c8

Because he 48a817dbcc was so 240d745537 happy and 752d3cd73a thrilled to 0ea5dea497 have new 4a458e8b84 friends for a1690b67b6 the first 844543b711 time.6af587d9b2ea0a65

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He couldn’t have af4b20534c even imagined that ff3b8df5b1 the money and a9606c7863 jewels he gave 214d64cc03 them little by 8ca4e04eb1 little would lead 45787c8f46 to all this.5a01afd70ad11ad1

As someone who spent fe90ec9141 a past life being 21ea6aec4a relentlessly bullied, I could 88e33bbfd3 completely empathize with Joshua’s 7840924d54 loneliness and sadness.2dbd7bd75fd6b507

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When you’re always left alone, even the smallest gesture of kindness from a passerby feels unbearably sweet.5ce3794097d09da8

Just like 8a67d9550d me — 311c686098 who, in d93da3e7d1 this life f57b043a72 again, found ebb11e78d7 myself drawn 9c66b5e88e into the 69825136a6 Duke who f524105cba sponsored me, 9efc3905b3 and Edwin, 2a098f84c9 who comforted 216f47a87b me when ae49bb4c18 I cried e7ba00d131 over Diana 56acaa5f3c so long 302be2fc06 ago.8b4d454424b83002

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“…Not everything will go the way we want. All we can do is give our best in the moment and be satisfied with that.”3990089879fec4da

“B-But…”c82abf905aefa213

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At my e7737341c0 gentle voice, f22e9432b9 Joshua lifted ba9953f606 his head, fff45fa632 his shoulders be3f43f09f trembling.b6473829b41cfd56

“I’m just a stupid idiot who couldn’t do anything…”c3099b39bc6a68af

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“Shh, where did you learn to talk like that?”c5d2dbd6e9b47d22

I frowned at 95557c6d17 his harsh language.895a33474449bdb3

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Then I pulled a 6c514f943a yellow handkerchief out of dfa3b46498 my pocket.e4200b5ae2b1e3d9

It was the fc2b83d914 one Edwin had 715f5f8d4e once handed me cf480497e7 right after my 3822398b5b regression to wipe 5b08ce9b9e my nosebleed — 3bace85f52 now worn out b2a26a4d1f and fraying at 649d50de83 the edges.9ba3a717363a61ed

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With it, a72443b625 I gently 4d416cac61 wiped Joshua’s bd2796fe33 tear-streaked, messy 5e0dd33ecd face.8170505232d5a6df

“I learned it from you…”f9d2da6501da0c30

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I lightly ignored his 39ef3978e8 small muttering and continued.d7d346ad36e45017

“From the eyes of a third party, you actually handled yourself pretty well for a high-ranking noble.”bac797996f5ec90f

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“R-Really?”3cce8748e1fec380

“Yeah. It’d have looked ridiculous if a Duke’s son got stingy over a few coins.”e18a7ab749f52dd4

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“……”46931b98e620e33e

“And you cleverly used the fact that jewels and accessories bearing the Duke’s insignia can’t be easily resold.”daee02d4039f6c65

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“Th-that’s…”b9b6c27929c20373

Joshua mumbled 93dfc9592c gloomily in 955bddbe61 response to 7d511c4422 my comforting edbbb266e2 words.510cb3abc777ee5b

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“Honestly, I didn’t really know what I was doing. It’s just… the accessories I gave to the maids would end up back in the jewelry box after a few days, so…”3dfd56abb1fcee0c

I remembered 00c8c2d729 little Josh 8b9e4dcdfa from childhood, b02affa3d4 cluelessly handing 2934e23fda out accessories ed2ccd7f96 everywhere.db9617b5d0084800

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‘This probably would’ve resolved itself even if I hadn’t stepped in…’50fcb9c863ed46e3

It was obvious 0a08c06442 who had orchestrated c5c37f58ed it.dc38addb5780f52c

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After all, no one a0f208bfc8 would know a child’s 1fe67b1a83 kind and gentle nature d75998883a better than their own 9f5643ace6 parents.7c9565aa388c2643

Smiling a 002992fcb0 little, I 26f572a0e0 answered Josh.607f139387deb5d9

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“It’s fine as long as you know now. If something like this happens again, you’ll be able to handle it better.”e37a8872db78f559

“…….”9e6eb82803db635e

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Hearing that, Josh’s gloomy da2327a9d0 expression visibly brightened.23f39764fc6553a5

Still snuggled in my c5e0f1654a arms, he stared up 109d89a98d at me with those 456ba4090a round, sparkling eyes for 702e305899 a while.bf79e5b79a6cf54b

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Then, swallowing 0c4621e749 back a 96ddc6215e little sob, 013494c5b8 he suddenly 6d88549ac6 asked,7432abd5d3032f8f

“…Sis, hic.”ff6e5f30b83d31db

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“…….”c721343af54ccd27

“Sis, we’re the same age… so how do you know everything so well?”867e7d704679ffee

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“Huh?”3c3272ca05d6b763

“How do you always… handle things so maturely? Sometimes, when I look at you, it’s amazing. You feel more like Edwin’s friend than a twelve-year-old.”e01fa751f72b303d

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I was a 1adafdf2b4 little flustered by 09116ad4a8 his unexpected words.5279923a8df75375

It really hit a97e2e3918 me then—Josh was 1c3531751c old enough to 06ea399e70 start feeling that d96b77f5dd gap between us.1ca9773853ead37b

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‘Well, of course… I’m bd779366a1 not actually twelve.’c28860c1f0abcfa8

But since I c3685b62f1 couldn’t just tell fe518deb44 him the truth, 7678802ed6 I gave him 6c12db192e a sheepish smile c9da59733b and came up 1a3074d6ee with a half-baked 0394ba4abc excuse.56dafbab08f00268

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“I guess… it’s because I’ve met a lot of people running the shop?”382a88c37e551883

Thankfully, Josh accepted bc5d4f2a2d it easily and b24acf118e moved on.333725dab7b80ab8

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“Is running the salon fun?”863ad4bcba0a5078

“Fun? It’s… just tiring in a lot of ways…”e6acd8df253d0a7f

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“What are you two doing over there?”f38033b6446e3966

It was right 9d6cade81e then.56ca7b098cd6e126

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Someone suddenly called out 7b28ef2526 to us.fa02071d0d728fe2

“Get away from each other. You shouldn’t be clinging together like that, even if you’re family.”1982f8ed6f3bfa28

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Not far 3e12bf720f from us cbaab32c6b stood a f0bdf492db guy, leaning 5390f8465c lazily to 034d1a6ea8 one side.42142cb0db7c1d9c

Wearing a 5cab42488d sharp blue b171ff7769 uniform, golden 8094b5932c eyes gleaming 797f87471e brightly under f93dfbc6d3 the sun.648e5cf30bc2f107

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His skin looked 119b5a80c0 a little tanner 1eb00bed39 than before, his ab7e7e16e7 shoulders broader.b440791f65847f54

I rubbed my abd1cdce32 eyes, not believing 2393376736 what I was 438a145cc8 seeing.3172e82a13013596

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“Ed-Edwin?!”719ea99e120ed6d1

“B-big bro…?”33842967b6c274bf

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While Josh and I 24d342fb5b stared at him, still 398712a7c2 unsure, Edwin frowned and bedde298b2 jerked his chin at b4b9fc6acf us.68b6fedb990d76a1

“What if someone sees you two acting like that…”d2014c2d4a032503

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“Edwin―!”2e1a0169966d8379

Before his nagging c0439681b2 could even finish, fd9a0c92b2 my body moved 5cfe69189d on its own.87e4de7cab65958e

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Tap-tap-tap!dacbdcae382e785b

“Careful…! Ugh.”8e49a7e61bf64ad8

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Edwin, startled by my 7eae66ef64 sudden dash, still caught 0fe81e377b me easily with practiced 2ce1528b2b hands.86bc239e4bea9696

I buried d764adc0c6 my face 252e2b290c deep in ee49bc5946 his firm 867847d049 chest, breathing 605e2135ee in and d47e506961 out in 192310082e big, silent cc884b4fa8 gulps.b4e703d25d114152

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A warm, f2318ca8f1 familiar scent, a8e6160163 like sun-dried fa24894016 fabric, filled 8ea3b5de99 my nose.b6db24cb7a9c3be1

‘Edwin’s scent.’712ca126a5159187

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A rush of heat 3d419e9fee swelled up inside me.d52eec01fd08a8b4

It had been about three weeks since I’d last seen him because of the subjugation campaign.a992d2afcf81ecba

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Barely a couple of weeks apart, and yet, feeling this heartache and longing—guess I’m seriously hopeless.161aad192c9dfbcc

At that moment—465f28f0baa40b30

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Pat, pat.7a0eccb94872c624

As if he understood ec43fdba92 exactly how I felt, b068d0382e Edwin gently patted my 5004ab52cc back.6722a0894b28b208

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‘Maybe… you missed 570befdada me too, even 5e42be1d69 just a little?’2aea8dd4a1b4fba0

Feeling his 93ef0d2f6b tender hand e5d0548e0e comforting me, 9b186962f1 a small 81e1eb478a lump formed 4e76736625 in my efbbece415 throat.19b43b0e1f882017

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With each passing d6b9df2059 year, he was 34fc0f2ca5 growing bigger, closer d28354cf70 to becoming an 231003273e adult.e5a3d63bcd930af2

And yet, sometimes, I 6b667f85ae still felt like I d5cd6a1ee0 was stuck at five 6de894cd9e years old—the age when 193c852287 I first met him.a365372a091c54b2

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Like a silly kid, b8cf11b91c helplessly yearning in front b3a15abff6 of her first love.59672dd31393a057

My feelings only grew stronger with time…4f1301695d750f0e

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‘But it’s okay.’ce603f86e778dc2c

I tried 13247d015c to calm 23874ec44c my racing 1b6ba930f8 heart as 0307d2bc10 I thought.4a8b73809ec73309

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‘This time, he came looking for me first, not Diana.’df1177c5c51884ff

Still resting e4d05691d5 my face 8c5a039dfa against his 7fb3c92e1c chest, I a71877b552 finally managed 7ec80a70cf to fix b9ccc96afa my expression ab1dcd7428 and lift cd446b9556 my head.f8d8f960f690fcd0

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“When did you get here? You should’ve called. Is the subjugation finished now? Why did you come to the Academy first…?”35908301e54e577d

“One question at a time, one at a time.”e1e9b1818f5df25b

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Seeing me bombard bc3c0504b0 him without even 28d16f77a2 a breath, Edwin 8ba523efa8 muttered lowly as f2c09842ec if telling me ca96188321 to calm down.6d861936f0eebcf2

The strong 96ed32d141 arms still 97eb5a37bd wrapped around ec12ccdc99 my back 64f9ad432c made me 6e028fa98f finally realize—he 3c32f711b7 was really c03bbd751b back.d5acf8bf2613e95d

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“Are you hurt anywhere?”2228c6e47403b658

“No.”8fcc452306051028

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“Really? Truly?”8e1ed5078f6dc336

“Someone packed half my luggage with every medicine imaginable. I didn’t even get a chance to feel sick.”56b3e3d9cc08e1da

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Hearing his 6ee683eff3 nonchalant answer, fdd9f6d1ca I blushed 826ad9c01e a little.7e70cf10a161000d

In my da9353802e previous life, 68245d3cb0 I found ed5d319edf out much 476b08000d too late faa43d2a74 that the 7240f06356 reason he 1ba8031d06 hadn’t come 59b941f75f home was 276c7176f8 because he 443325ec2c had been 0f9c8db79d out on 0bed4d7713 subjugation missions.4412b86f898d06e0

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Edwin had always hated ed1058b7bf anything bothersome, and without e3bdf57355 a proper mistress managing ba0d11832c the duke’s house, there 2cc25bdf65 was no one to e4eb47fed4 fuss over him.11ae89c24de676d8

Naturally, he was ed8fe8698e the type who 87f1372dcb wouldn’t bother to c367d47605 pack even basic 7436f17b28 first aid supplies.0d3a6928352add30

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I still 65b71f9638 remember the af81020a36 day he 8b60ae3474 came back 4d215c0ca0 severely wounded 4100e3268a in my 61bca192c9 past life.c5de50ec4bd17143

The fact that he 24b0b62b78 kept it hidden and c6bab87140 had Grandpa Gordon heal 3c11513028 him instead of telling b00e6cf633 me had left a fbfd9e445c scar on my heart.a68f6bb30f5f2336

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So this b3676bf263 time, determined fc3358ebf7 to prevent cb26223a5c that, I 001fda1b5c had made 3caff684ae sure he b3786a3936 was properly 57e6e79658 prepared…45149101563ae57c

“Are you moving house or something? With all that stuff, it looks less like a subjugation and more like a full-on march.”26fc94122dccb9a5

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I recalled his reaction f8bb2e0998 when he saw the c6d2ea469d mountain of supplies Grandpa 15f1e2313e Gordon and I had fa97e817f8 packed after much discussion—and b2827b4de3 felt embarrassed all over 0c10ef14f0 again.14dea57b7e5f8aad

I hurriedly changed the 933b4bd0f3 subject.6be25c83e6cce57f

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“What about His Grace? Did you stop by the duchy first?”f9ed801c2fa4871a

“I just arrived.”66f7ff22308feb78

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His blunt reply made 4e9dc46433 me pout a little.740a009c362eb17b

“Then you should’ve gone home first. You must be exhausted. You should rest…”d8dd2e6d6f9f0d54

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I scolded him out 31a4ef6fdc of worry, but he 47fdb31322 only narrowed his eyes e07ceea93c and stared at me.7cc6b5355fb61ae9

“I heard you’re attending the Academy now.”017d5a429b63511a

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“Huh? Oh, yeah.”b0f5507bd482c592

Come to think 3a9934c673 of it, I’d 3da274d796 been so distracted c852388981 by Josh’s incident 59219c99ef that I hadn’t 1dc21644d1 had a chance b9c0610691 to tell him 6547562284 about it.295eab34ccd70cc8

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I averted my eyes fc48d92185 awkwardly and mumbled,514adf1c668d1465

“Uh, somehow, I ended up enrolling last week…”4d4d447f7ba70b3c

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“And here I am, rushing back without even sleeping properly.”3bdbfc26b2ffa554

“Huh?”3622b27ca62714c7

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“And what do I find? You’ve enrolled in some place crawling with guys, and then the moment I show up, you’re hugging some random boy.”9cb35cf1eb74b0cb

His golden eyes, ef04d3f720 shining like the abaaca7659 sun, glared at 6866c39fca me fiercely.534653fa9fad5eb6

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