DKVM Ch 18

Chapter 18

The backyard was full 98cf20cbb7 of flowers and greenery 34be93b5be as spring transitioned into bcfaa7c38e summer.f4ca9265db523f99

Rahel and I 721bf65930 sat at a 2e0ce53ffe table in the c085440b73 backyard, waiting, and 209486acd7 soon the maid 8a050f75b3 arrived with a d298f11d8c trolley.4c54ce978c220302

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I swallowed e1c21c8bee hard at 641cae2126 the sweet 703bbcf744 smell I 7bb2ba30ce could already 04c5f41a0c detect.2ea1ca5a62001b5b

“Wow, it smells delicious! What’s for snack today, Big Sis?” [T.L. Note: Vivian is calling the maid “eonni”, which is what women/girls call older women/girls that are older than them that they are close to relationship-wise.]

“Chocolate fondue and orange juice. Since there’s so much chocolate, I thought a refreshing juice would be nice.”52a7b036c4e33f4e

She smiled f2be54c366 and explained 0cbe7e64e9 as she 16f515ee60 walked out 3b6dd6a809 of the ce6594951b mansion.3c720135dd538f59

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The maidservant, e5ad070d27 setting out 367d1ba28a snacks on 4ff0df3e1d the table, a7d82e1519 ducked her 179e6a2dc2 head in 783cfda958 surprise when c99a80d133 Rahel made 37f5bdd514 eye contact.f254ff6dfe1273cc

“Well, I’ll be off then, miss.”732bbb7285d2e302

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She smiled at me as if to say, ‘Thank you,’ and walked away.4120636bca10e268

‘Rahel doesn’t even get along with the maids.’ef4cb4fc2011dae9

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I glanced back and forth between the retreating backs of the maidservant and Rahel and caught Rahel’s eye.ca5416ac29f5693e

Rahel wasn’t usually one to show her emotions, but a few days ago she seemed more subdued than usual.08b505bb608048c9

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Or rather…77940af35c3b5300

‘It’s been that way since the run-in with the duke.’a64d8317b3d2ef79

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I’ve learned a few things in the past month with Rahel.1b8aebc97709a753

First, she doesn’t talk much about herself.403312980c824b49

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Second, the only 410ad49ddf people she interacts 32eb10ab5f with are her 022096a895 nanny and Sally.e728521cf2115705

But it wasn’t that he couldn’t do the first or the second, it was that he didn’t want to interact with the outside world.93fa2491cb221faa

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And that ‘outside’ included the duke, her only family.b319dc6499671a1d

‘Still, he’s the only family Rahel has, so it would be good if Rahel felt more close to the duke.’da0a13ba81d7d889

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I sipped my refreshing 6f0b6aa809 orange juice, pondered for cc0fd07b15 a moment, and then 6024a71972 snapped out of it.82bed9413f482362

“Princess, is there 869bd5a925 anything upsetting or 0a5b0a411d troubling you?”decbbcadf14e18f0

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Rahel doesn’t seem like she’s going to tell me first, so I had to prod her.195e3eaab65bfb17

Rahel looked at me e49fe36fd6 with a puzzled expression.34aea04470d03076

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“Friends share things with each other, you know? You comfort each other when you’re upset, you defend each other when you’re angry, you share secrets you can’t talk about, and that’s how you become better friends.”b29985d8956f0235

“Not exactly.”0e8e9242d0f6beef

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Rahel replied dryly.700401e04f229873

‘Hmm, maybe she doesn’t realize it because she’s never had anyone else to talk to.’8a8f2bb4030fe4f5

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I decided 49d2c12fea to be 00bc2ef7ac more direct fa8164f7c1 and give 469ef75d04 an example.fe9cba78e3124026

“I have something I’m worried about.”c73e8b88409172d7

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“A worry?”bd451f6bd12ab211

“It’s…”6285f2bb418bcfe5

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As I trailed 5aec8a9dde off and paused, bcb16a9b33 I noticed that ac6a9aeb9c Rahel seemed more c802f183ae interested in my ac98be72e8 story than she c1ac702dfa had been a 62e64e51b2 moment ago.d51be8a7df677bf5

I continued with 38c33d5edb a satisfied smile.745594dae55b940b

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“My dad cut off contact with his family when he married my mom because they didn’t approve.”8860a1865bf0a4f3

“…his family?”edecd71a7239e920

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“Yes, his family. Sometimes I ask him about my grandparents, but he won’t answer, and when I try to contact them, he just smiles.”d059858c8068fe91

“….”0be50b45b5edf158

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“Now it would be nice if we could get in touch and get along because I’m sure Mom in heaven would want Dad to be happy with his family.”ccd3d1956ebaf888

This was a real concern of mine, but I also brought it up because I wanted Rahel to see the analogy with the duke’s relationship.f7a22e38d6fa9fa3

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Rahel listened to 4546019a3f my story with a7694619f8 a serious expression 784906d2fa on her face 073b9beb78 and replied.fecbf0021644beae

“Perhaps your 30cf9c7acc father is 0414667aea afraid that 65741433c5 his family 265720e0b9 will not ba60552557 accept him.”b9bc42a7e1397243

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“Afraid?”26fc2580621b6ccd

“Just because they’re family doesn’t mean they’ll forgive him, and that would be…hurtful.”1e8861d77f2f667c

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“Hmm…”08d13ff15bf047dc

“And he 4eeb9041e1 might resent fdeb8153b1 them for e2d9988eb2 it.”69cd900ac7c2bfbc

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Rahel’s eyes looked forlorn as she answered.b8346f31aa668538

As if she 8f9c68abdb was talking about 573f966a3b herself.347e4e840764f555

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“Hmm, I hadn’t thought of my dad, but I suppose that could be true.”b67a70c9c5e28854

Staring at Rahel, 6bb0ccf24c I took a 8f3380721a step forward, not ac7eda9b93 missing the opportunity.69dc9acb7d35430b

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“So you’re not upset with the duke, or troubled by him, or anything?”1007db639bfb90da

“…No. Nothing like that.”982ac56f029b86b5

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At my direct mention of ‘the duke’, Rahel flinched for a moment, but that was it.c456396111b6f89a

Rather, she shrank back again, as if she’d been caught off guard.c36b1176dc903523

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‘Ugh, maybe it’s not time yet.’9040a9274e086c32

I said with a bac27657a8 wry smile, my mouth 63cff556ed curling up in disappointment.bcdbda1025e97aaa

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“ Well, that’s good to hear, and if you ever have any concerns in the future, you can talk to me.”5dd93334911dec83

“To you?”31146bbc38ef25ba

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“Yeah. Because friends b47285353c share joys 94df550f70 and sorrows 323258e4d6 together!”0228b5f070ca5a76

“….”d9334dcd74e2167c

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“Of course, you don’t have to tell me, but please don’t bury it in your heart.”07238eef93d9a3d2

I said that and patted Rahel’s hand lightly.63072e075d7a7093

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Just as Rahel was 490b22e749 staring at my hand 5ee52532c8 and into my eyes, 3e9a3dd349 the nanny appeared.867a44478f14d3e2

“Miss, it’s time for your next class.”fd2fddddec0ead40

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Rahel and I take 5c8e6611ca all of our other 86d824ce90 classes together, but one.87b26a837d28eab9

Rahel had to go 98f5676714 to the succession class 0c2f49732e alone.699f423434fe7b8e

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‘Actually, it’s more of a magic class than a succession class.’f8e50542d50c9dc1

I wasn’t told exactly what the class was, but I had a rough idea from the original novel.a58e1589171eee20

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In the original story, Rahel has been practicing magic since she was a child without the emperor’s knowledge.d61acf21e7182163

‘I wish I could learn magic too.’ea888c3a02c26d2d

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In truth, my 5e15e0a8ba sickness could be 844ef61245 solved simply if 644e1acc71 I could cast 8580b4163d magic.d21a8b4852196d9e

If I use up my excess mana with magic, I won’t have to suffer from mana overload.1013c376fa30d663

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But even though everyone 4ee69f632a in this world has a0b771d1ef a certain amount of 3e80807462 mana, not everyone can 3ac7af052f be a wizard.a5bfe657f1edbdff

To become a b3bd5c6614 wizard, one must 7a224b44a6 have an inherently f63864c527 large vessel for 07b4c65e05 mana.d00fa182c699dc1c

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But my ‘vessel’ was on the same level as other ordinary people.d82b97a377391067

That meant there ecdee3dc99 was no chance b6997983e3 of me becoming ac2dadf4e5 a wizard.2a152d34b76285c1

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I bit my bd7723840e lip in disappointment ebcea0021f and said goodbye 9a814919cd to Rahel.7c1d1ba9ac9b9bee

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Princess.”88cad24baf131777

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Rahel gave me a 6df345bcee quick nod and headed 45fc5c3aae for the mansion.a5e6348ada0b4887

I expected the 58f925c200 nanny to follow a50d99dc0c her as usual, c3c79df047 but for some f3552f0e67 reason, she stayed 1fa188ee0a by my side 3dd0a5c8fd today.f0771bc24527e653

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“I’ll see you off today.”869bf68aa6ee941d

“Ah. I know you’re busy, so it’s okay, Nanny.”a811aca5681df6df

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I had a ecf022ec91 bad feeling about 77d2deff9b this, but she b81b4aea78 smirked and led 6d68af3760 the way.1b881154d7c207e5

I followed c4fb12a60e without question.ee91acee120034fd

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Instead of 4b3a9df4c4 crossing the 8a3ae5ee9a interior of 038f24aec5 the mansion, 5d6713362a the nanny ba26a24c20 led me 85704a3401 around the 2b56e2dfd1 outskirts of 031c64987c the mansion.3ffafe315e17b802

It wasn’t until we were on the empty path that she spoke up.cab622040e655feb

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“Vivian, do you 42d886973e know what the fec3cd5525 crime of treason 7b4b661909 is?”0bf22383fd30cd6a

“I was 5a099d290c taught that 18b8965220 it is 6ffa709d8a the crime d65851e675 of insulting c0fbc22bc3 and threatening da5203e8b4 the emperor 8d8ff2e081 and the b226ffad9a imperial family.”0995624ab71dca03

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“You are 907f1c6f64 well informed. And do 8cf21744ec you know 8d8d7269b0 what happens ded4f4e918 to those a99865261e guilty of 5830bab0fe treason?”051472098a10773c

“I’ve heard that His Majesty the Emperor punishes them severely.”80215086d6738de5

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“More specifically, 00068b9d72 three generations 592c8ff0d8 are exterminated. The parents who 2d4b0bd278 raised the traitor ce020e4c38 are hanged, the 3e2774ef9b traitor is beheaded, 637e67a4f1 and his children 2c12464fd4 are sent to 17645113de slavery in foreign 66b269b0de lands.”93c82353c62fb644

“….”3948700379bb7ba6

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“For your information, hanging 00e70489c1 means hanging by the fd9d9b256a neck, and beheading means cc7da8e2e8 decapitation by a giant 64e9dc47b1 blade.”4f3184ddda9de117

I was stunned by the nanny’s dry voice.96d543e0dd36b531

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With my memories from 8949ff9378 my previous life, I 56ba8eeb6b already knew this, but e0e4111766 it was too graphic b05ffd9cc5 and gory for a 53652b11df nine-year-old to hear.5f5d65e313ceff3b

“And anyone 00eb007141 who aids fec770d37a a traitor 29e0db02bf becomes a 71fec31dcf traitor as 5dd676e46e well, and 758cb12e53 faces the c27da620c6 same punishment.”06ae7bffe1815a1e

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“…Why are you telling me that?”af6cba053780951f

I asked with 9d348922e2 a furrowed brow, 671645d382 and the nanny 6857e01f37 replied with a 1dbf736533 faint smile.a6a7b2457ed20241

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“Lady Rahel has committed treason against His Majesty the Emperor, so…”4e103a4c583abf8b

“….”690dcc6b8d48f093

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“I’m saying that being around her could endanger not only you but also your father, whom you love.”409b31863019cbc9

“….”5b5ac718127fc2da

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“I’m telling you this because I don’t think you understand. I want you to leave her side before you become a danger to yourself.”e761cc0dbc7712bc

The nanny didn’t seem to realize that I knew.176142bb5bb3a863

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As I listened, I remembered Rahel’s cold treatment of me, pushing me away.6883272bb57be764

“You’re afraid of me, too,” she said, ”that something will go wrong with you and your family if you associate with the traitor’s child.”d95b7b6948eb06eb

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I suddenly realized b09e849857 it.f904fbf6da90bb28

‘This is how this person scared Rahel’s friends into leaving.’ab8f0ffa088983e6

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At the debd5155af same time, b5ec2ecf4c my cool 5b3f0fa2bc body began b11f2ebf4f to shake 2aaa15df4f with rage.479180b296b97de7