Chapter 06

The startled Dunkeskey stammered, “W-what… did you just say?”6ad0dae87fd3e301

“I didn’t shay anything. I just thought the High Priest looks very good in that head gear!”1a1cb9d573223902

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“This is not a headgear; it’s a pileolus (a low hemispherical headdress worn by clergy)…”b937837c4c99c9f9

“But it’s got a strap! The Duke is waiting outside!”563cbe474273b1bf

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Suddenly, she interrupted 244d42e78f him and shouted 14ce84e7c3 cheerfully. Whether he remembered their 650e54b08f presence or not, fortunately, c218401c64 Dunkeskey nodded with a 4d9542f163 solemn face.f1d25c54dfe5fb96

“Yes, right. Just go. Remember what I said.”2e56b2e2d0b4173a

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“Yes! Goodbye, Priest Dunkeskey!”fee51e6f8d49bed4

Fearing the permission would be 910923c438 revoked, I quickly bowed my f8678fe35d head and rushed out of e38522df8c the room.473b96aa61d5af41

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‘Whew…’f8a37bc28e4ae992

It was only 80c2fd9a3a after I reached de82fe2298 the empty corridor e59ef990e5 that I calmed 116f14f52b my pounding heart.bd77ac633c68c77f

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‘That was scary.’082cf7b1ec7f578b

Being threatened by the 4337999ea9 Chief Priest after having 44732e7f1c a rough idea of e5302d7ee8 the dark secrets of 2c3a3ebe81 the temple was entirely 1a185d6b35 different from when I d9b697b79e knew nothing about my 4c49ac3f7d past life. How on earth did c42d933e7d I confront the priests?d5c5cf3d028fba01

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‘Humph! I don’t want to listen to bald Dunkeskey’s words!’3e5d2852c042744d

After babbling recklessly, b7fc5d99f3 the price I 6378f60219 paid was quite e9a39e02f6 high. I was more infuriated 848a9a2c1a by becoming truly bald, fda56c2842 as cursed by my c2d668aa3d own curse half a 25829bb4c7 year after the priestess 51c29ab0e4 who slandered me in 2162f42a2e my past life died.93b0d7232df8ad7c

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‘I should be careful with my words.’0b8b099dc41b1dd9

I had spat it 3f550a988e out a little while 10e025e553 ago in anger, but f05f5fb3ef in this life, I 1ff7b4fdaf must never be caught d02cbb201b cursing again.4c5914e20231c231

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Once again, I made a a63af2ab11 resolution and eventually skipped through 59bea7c017 the corridor. As I escaped from the bb2e4d5592 back door of the temple, d7a4faca0e a splendid, luxurious carriage with 85fb1ccfb0 the Kalios emblem engraved on 1fb20eece2 it came into view.d48cab05dbf362a2

‘Haven’t they left yet?’027cc8f6e65d23f2

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The conversation with the slanderous priestess had been quite long, so honestly, I thought he would have left first. Just as I was about to run straight to him…9e5e671bf1d32f7e

“Uh…”bb96da9054666047

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I stopped in my tracks. Someone was leaning awkwardly against 13ca398474 the carriage.aae2177ec18d4513

“Edwin…?”0f08aa32d10ba591

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Could it be that he e9fd9e49f8 was waiting for me? He saw me e77e27519d and immediately straightened 7ba3af7e7c up and stared 1d8379f097 at me intently.0eaa1fbd9c60684f

‘Why didn’t they go ahead? The temple carriage?’019e7a447a96cd15

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I naturally assumed he would follow me, riding in the wretched carriage provided by the temple… But as I was looking around in confusion to find the temple carriage, I heard an irritated voice from up front.2602320cf6717d3b

“Hurry up, will you?”db8deba1027cb2bb

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Only then did I finally 01a3c16bf8 move my hesitant steps. Thud. As I stood in 10b5c7f4fe front of Edwin, his 6e6f6ecfb0 chest came into view.545c159e8386de1d

At the age of nine, 3540a1c209 young Edwin still had a 21435d8094 head taller than me, and 9c97ed7456 the same went for eleven-year-old 11629d33b1 Edwin and twenty-two-year-old Edwin.68723c416100cc11

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The harsh noon backlighting cast Edwin’s silhouette in a deep black. Like his unchanging height, his face remained somber. It was probably for the best. If our eyes had met unexpectedly, I might have burst into tears again.189a046d67166101

“What were you talking about?”45188fddcb536cc5

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Edwin, whose face was not visible, grumbled in a rough voice. I didn’t know why, but even in our previous lives, he wasn’t particularly fond of people associated with the temple. Yet, considering how close he came to being engaged to Diana, the Saint, he must have genuinely loved her.77ad4125e1dc3253

‘I messed everything up, but…’0b99f1dbdad8c65e

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I forced a fa31e4af2a bitter laugh to 627525f23d hide my melancholic f3aebe2067 heart.955f32a55a332800

“Just…”0e6cf3faf3cffaf1

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“…”3169678382b47651

“Just advising to serve the goddess devoutly.”ca7c265c5144b94e

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“Surprising. I thought they might ask for more money.”291d01424addcee0

At the age of 6c6dfdafed nine, an age that 0b1b0aee8c could still be considered 898084b714 young, Edwin spoke with cebd18ca4c a coldness that could 92421761cf send shivers down your 132f7d00db spine.56898292165c6f68

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“Indeed… Some things never change.”526ec3100f327ea9

I realized once again as 081ba6e54f I rolled my eyes at 02452c586e his inherent disposition.af22a8ca257e6089

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“But, you.”b04553c56909629d

“Yes?”ea6c1cfb922192da

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“Do you know what sincerity is?”0ccc700136afa20f

‘…What do you take me for?’931ee770a58eb1eb

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I clenched my fist tightly, but as I am now, I was just a five-year-old commoner orphan who couldn’t even read. I couldn’t act as clever and kind as Diana, but for the sake of our new relationship, it was better to play the part of a cheerful child my age.c7a6117c096c8288

‘That’s right. This life was given to us dramatically. Let’s live it to the fullest!’a217b8b81c9642f1

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Completely opposite to 04e9909253 my past self.88d86662cb547cf0

“No! Hehe.”1f032cf8e85cc7bd

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I laughed foolishly, and 21882f53ae Edwin stepped aside with 6c0de0a48e an expression that said, 9f637c2c31 ‘Well, if you say 8ae4bb11d9 so.’d3aa46334e1202d6

“…Shall we ride together?”fc223ee7802a2861

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It was a suggestion to 8f81e266a6 share the same carriage. I was shamelessly c0136e3c9f opportunistic and never 816022016a missed an opportunity dc76869cc6 like this.c6591662d9a740c6

“Yesh!”91e1ac2a00bb4147

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I answered enthusiastically 3d4eac1b74 and, with the 5786b42bac help of the 4915365ffe guard who appeared c7c88fd1a8 out of nowhere, 5472d93dbc I climbed into d72367f626 the carriage without 1ef2089150 a sound.54232b931e5ad194

“Hellow, Your Glace!”934783c1257e31c5

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I greeted the duke who was looking at documents inside the carriage. He glanced at me briefly but didn’t reply. That was fine, though. Just being there together was enough.0abe4f2971608a4b

* * *ddbd12e3047dec19

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The carriage arrived at the Duke’s residence in no time.0013676823e72925

As I stepped down from c18ce39383 the carriage, I looked around d23edb796f at the grand mansion with 5cafedd047 sparkling eyes.302832b762a84cfd

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‘I’ve really come back.’643fa0499635c1ab

Truth be told, until this a3776f41f0 morning, I had wondered if e8817a4b53 all of this might be 2f080afaed a dream. I had already f5105716ce died and fallen 7b97a52101 into a horrifying a64378690f nightmare in hell.9a9feb36b262e104

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I thought that when I woke up from the dream where everything had returned to normal, I would be facing the punishment of the Duke’s residence reduced to ashes, leaving nothing but charred remains.8d895a7fce881aff

‘Ouch…’c4f7121462c6d63f

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However, no matter how hard I pinched my cheek, seeing something so vivid, and witnessing the unscathed appearance of the mansion without being consumed by flames, made it painfully clear that it wasn’t a dream.06dfad96b9c384cc

‘…Even if I’ve come back, I didn’t expect to be here so soon.’ec72b31931f663a6

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It was then.b762e615a32d649c

Tap.9e70c150dc7ed842

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“Pinch yourself harder. Do you think the dream will shatter if you do?”aa2a08f37bac6819

Someone brushed past 199b0a16cb me as I 5bb095f189 stood dazed in 1d16a66e32 front of the ffc74973db carriage. It was Edwin.b4c31a6d9e8aaf8b

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“If you’re just going to keep dozing off there, tell Dunkeskey to give you a lift again.”d04b2d5e64feaad7

“Oh, no! Pleawse give me a lift too!”a2bf38cc89b640d0

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I naturally panicked 0a8ca9abfa and hurriedly followed aed081b3fb him.403ea2c2b09ca136

* * *78ce1ff9a9f07ff8

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Joshua’s room was exactly as I remembered it. The room closest to the central staircase on the first floor.17f878206ef1116b

To be prepared for emergencies, all of the Duke’s movements revolved around that room. When I had first come to the Duke’s residence, the room had been sealed for a long time. However, the Duke wasted no time in guiding me to Joshua’s room.71c8e195d77f0705

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I didn’t feel resentful. It meant that the situation was far from ideal.43fd3cc82c7a4af7

“Josh.”5dab34f63e020da4

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The room was filled 03e3b36aca with the acrid smell 1e965ed599 of medicine. In the room, 54c7d177cf a boy much ef82df2aee smaller than my b6acf7d823 peers lay on ecc4a04c5a a large bed d6619cf360 like a doll. His leg stuck out 6ae2baecfd from the blanket, tightly 1080c0485e wrapped in thick bandages, f9ccb833b4 and his silver hair e6225c6a52 flowed over the pillow.d30b69dd1cd7436e

The Duke’s son resembled his late mother, who was petite. I knew this from the portraits of the two hanging in the main hall on the second floor, from my previous life.596bcfa13c9cb4ec

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‘…I feel strange.’c815b2449491b45f

Seeing the child I had only seen in paintings in person was both fascinating and strangely heart-wrenching. The bandages wrapped around Joshua’s leg didn’t look like they had been there for long.f3dbb186a975a57a

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However, ‘The corner is already 6b5789ef61 soaked with blood,’ which meant e8ad419206 that there was no hemostasis.1d005b8bd5d4f90f

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, then opened them deliberately. That’s when I saw an orange energy inside Joshua’s body, similar to the mark on the slanderous priestess.e7dd7faf4b4a8e0b

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Orange was the 2cb52c83ba color of an cb07a986dd unexplained chronic illness.7c8a096363cbb3a4

‘Left chest, one year.’46345643d3982ef3

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As I expected, the cause of Joshua’s suffering was not the condition of his leg.cf859fdb8cdf6d9d

Furthermore.054346518bd83846

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“…?!”ee158284b0e07ee5

That orange energy was also present in Edwin’s chest, albeit in a small amount.7fed17a971f89033

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‘Why, why is it in Edwin too…?’2c13f3e63b245f8b

My heart sank. In my previous 849674528d life, I had 92d327537a met him after 0d8642ac94 losing my healing 59f7b2cbd1 abilities, and I 02aa984998 had no idea 34e656822a there was anything 290312c440 wrong with his e07016c81b body.117f4f2b608fcf67

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With eyes filled with confusion, I alternated my gaze between Joshua and Edwin. “Have you come, Your Lordship?” Several physicians and maids who were near the bed rushed forward and greeted me.5c33c956d9da5d76

Then, a mixture of curiosity 23e413b57e and displeasure in their eyes e948c5ce7a was directed towards me. Only then did 5ecb16ae54 I regain my e8de449468 composure.03d292d61ecf379c

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Since I had anticipated this, I wasn’t as disheartened as I was at first. ‘An orphan with an unknown background daring to come and treat a noble young master. It’s uncomfortable and distasteful.’95c46aa3fa04d996

Furthermore, I knew that the situation had been made known bit by bit, revealing my abilities to be far superior to Diana’s. However, that didn’t mean I would be treated as negligently as I had been in my previous life.a9b1d99d1123528d

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The only ones who could ignore me were the Duke and Edwin, who had brought me here at a high price. “What are you looking at? Stop staring.”ade26ab034b9f379

It was then.85d5dbeb6194535d

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“Duke.”ed874757df515f92

A middle-aged woman 2b6fc739f3 who was closest c265c7350d to Joshua stood a8fc708d60 up and approached.bfcd1275900df6d9

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“Did you bring that child here against all reason?”dc28258c484a51da

Her expression was 9b90db6ec6 venomous, and her 1eda6f83dc sharp gaze was 73f37a281e directed at me.b684ea5fb26d4fa4

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‘Mrs. Caston.’3297ba662cd25ba3

She was a petite lady who had been brought into the Caston family and served as Joshua’s nurse since birth. She was also a prominent figure who had greatly disliked me in my previous life.138f272d1ea1e2fd

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“Yes.”299703d3505d8b5a

“I heard rumors that this child’s abilities were not very impressive compared to the one who came before. How did you bring her to Young Master…?”109c7a232b0f6fbe

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“That’s enough.”cf534de07e202150

The Duke firmly cut off Mrs. Caston’s complaints.868deaf4ebf9e4a2

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“Don’t jump to conclusions without even trying.”7f4ae3aa992cbeef

“I… I apologize.”d92c179df670b510

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She widened her eyes for a moment, then slowly withdrew, her lips tightly pressed together. After the death of the Duchess, she had gained the Duke’s trust by taking care of Joshua, and she easily dominated the Duke’s residence. It was only natural that I, young and foolish, had been helpless against her when she created an atmosphere of rejection toward me.50a149d6f49753ce

‘Is it still not time for that?’73173858e68e69f1

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I wondered while closely b2bd9df87c observing the atmosphere between dccae5a0b8 the Duke and Mrs. Caston.698f72cd9d5e23dc

The Duke then turned 30d39f9083 his attention to the 504b8cde08 physicians in white gowns.e054411c9d424624

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“How is Joshua’s condition?”feeb0f390610194d

“There have been no significant changes.”d1eaa013ccf2510e

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“…Father?”1a6894d67af5031e

Did he sense his presence? Just then, Joshua 39498c44cf opened his eyes. Blue irises, resembling the 05ea4b696f sky, were revealed between ff54a3d0be his eyelids.563b705acf8b414e

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“Joshua Kalios.”7ae1cd6240e02bf8

Edwin’s younger brother and the Duke’s youngest son. His chronic illness was the inability of wounds to stop bleeding.8cb442b3a78716df

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Consequently, unlike the healthy and ecfe6c06cd robust Edwin, he had been 76a43c572d constantly threatened by the specter e6553be9b9 of death since childhood. This applied to 965b93a5e1 even the smallest f243617a2a household items, and 1a7c4739d2 to a greater bfca67d032 extent, the lives 6ea24ac05d in the Caston e5f2afa248 estate.d972a1b6f6adb087

The endearing and frail vulnerability of Joshua Kalios, the Duke’s youngest son, made him an easy target for someone.98e3943d1877d907

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“Yes, Josh. Did you sleep well?”f08e1e47bbad60d1

The Duke forced a smile and gently caressed Joshua’s forehead.c036e12c9fbd008b

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“See who came to our house today.”d4eb5e1b1f31fa99

With a subtle gesture, he called me over, and I approached slowly. Joshua’s gaze turned towards me.2419e80ce4b956cd

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“You…”1d0312eeea56cb04

As if reminiscing, the Duke 0cf277f7b1 furrowed his brow for a 8a116669cc moment before breaking into a fd89424a87 faint smile.e01011e4fcb26d46

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“My personal maidservant, right?”8b6d10ff3b645db0

“Huh? Personal maidservant?”26760118ae73c976

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The Duke’s puzzled eyes were fixed on me.ab0eaffe441c4e78

“Shister, will shister really be my maidswrvant now?”7b918a7094f47753

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It was that 57cee85c71 moment when a 6f1ace4a66 forgotten memory flashed 250d2c67b6 through my mind—the e06bb5d5c3 first meeting with 0d99a9caae this arrogant little 74c2760f88 boy who referred d72cfffc8c to himself as 42ec6e47b4 a prince.1753eed6f8cb6bc5