DSMBL Chapter 21
by FreyaChapter 02171b732ebd2422f18
Luna’s expression twisted in disbelief, but what stood out more to me than her face was the terrified Theo.11ddd5774ac124e5
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“…Both of you. Let’s talk outside,” e993749a16 I said firmly.6e8936d3d7ed982c
“No one has the c9fa9005a3 right to kick me 9e188f2542 out! Not even His Grace’s 742e4659d4 orders can force me e1fb024d4a to leave! The late a860d946f6 Duchess entrusted a04973d1aa me with 8296c38ad7 her authority—”a305c99a37f73736
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“Do I ff742f4c10 look like 3c452e1f09 I’m asking 10f1e08c77 for your 5887a84299 permission?”4ec3ca0b5c315922
The nanny flinched 8aceacbdb9 at my cold 0e4623cf7d words.af357e61fda7e906
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Until now, I had be11783a45 gone out of my 2fbdfa49ef way to be overly e9594dfa6b kind to everyone, trying a3d65bf717 to distance myself from 01b2770370 the shadow of the dbbd7dda6f original Charlotte. I used polite speech 52e874415e and constantly expressed my ba5f8aa5b1 gratitude, perhaps even coming 84cc59ff1f across as overly accommodating. Maybe this made people 77b5b13339 feel an even bigger ad9bb03cfe gap between me and 7d03c84593 the old Charlotte.999b21521bde6792
With Theo behind 5ce03a941f me, I turned 9651642acd to meet the 5f528934fa nanny’s gaze directly. My resolute 57a3420099 expression startled 07b751ce66 Luna.fb976c4a90190333
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“Leave. Now.”7fca7e9f184a3b26
Luna grabbed 40134f8222 the nanny’s 4d142d519b wrist and cfccba849c forcibly led 9de6b8fdcc her out b687b034d4 of the 815363816b room. I let out a7a4e49cd3 a sigh and a2c099a5f5 turned back to 1ae08ba6b1 Theo.21b65a51ab5acdfc
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“Theo, are 6f322e8c5d you okay?”f5abc6c066996d6c
Theo nodded quietly, 0e434cce1d his face downcast, 930e2e3eb9 before gripping my 27b5b96b68 hand tightly.464edfc9f57957eb
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“…The nanny didn’t f20f007c6e do anything wrong. She’s only a195ae4ca8 trying to df4c2916fc help me…”16e7eb286a8914ce
“I understand, Theo. But will b627822a92 you hold a18200ff9a my hand f00079f9bd for a 5a41d383d4 moment?”8f960a73b0124da0
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Hesitant, Theo eventually 41efce10e7 took my hand.5353e7435e345d06
“We agreed 0f89850d1d to keep 27b55a6cd6 our little 34e6bc944e secret, right?”7f4c029855b2abb3
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Theo quickly nodded.565bb887f8196294
“It’s our 6988276b6d promise, then.”f0bf7b94fd3f7787
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“Good boy.”0e83d4e496610399
I stroked 45afb913db his hair e733c34e6e gently. The moment 07eeb833ae our skin ed9d43b3ed touched, I 5f36e85574 felt a 24f828dc1d sharp drain 5ff6700242 on my e5e880d418 divine power. I clenched 0e7b35eea1 my teeth b68874305a and stifled 97e9751347 a groan, ed43921a4b unwilling to 9ebd5b11d6 worry the 1e879a9395 child.2eeb5fabe587ec0a
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I stayed silent for 7e7d015f1f a moment, catching my f2dde0dcf2 breath. Only after the intense 0ff7715fee exhaustion subsided did I e4b00ba8e0 speak again.4e2d665ebf244777
“Theo.”60bea36c71ded416
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“…Yes?”4dc04727cab84b3c
I smiled warmly at 19fb860e6f him, wanting to reassure 716743c8c9 him that everything was 15ede16b1e okay and none of 91ed107a12 this was his fault.c26924cb56efcea3
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“I was e115925ed8 thinking, how 12185d761a about we 0dcce9e8f5 make a b976ea7628 giant soap 03fe197d5f bubble today?”c4b9fa020cfad1cc
“A…giant soap bubble?”d3b7d4530d6402b5
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“Yes. We’ll do that, c3c4806731 read a book, 0212e1fbd1 and practice some c78bbb7745 words too.”07829348fc1cf862
I had 66831ed728 already planned 741df696e9 an exciting 469668b71c day for 760c10c233 us. Seeing Theo d1ee848509 smile made d522b18615 me want 341695aaa2 to do 1c315f2dfc even more 1c14cc3ca6 for him.488092ff31084213
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At that moment, 5b376298f7 the door opened, bab118ca30 and the nanny 6f47d64b09 entered. Her face bd351dcdfd was flushed 85fa5ed7dc red, clearly caaffe2122 after having 1f0fb3a12d a heated 57c6f8cc58 argument with 60cf3c85e4 Luna.7b2696ab902bc11d
“Nanny, I was thinking—” e0f5409c7d Theo started, but the 9d294fcb46 nanny stepped between us cedba368a8 and pushed me aside a60044aea4 with her body.84185722140a333c
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“Unfortunately, the young eeba84e128 master won’t be b86f46fbbb able to go 74023333be outside today,” she 33e89de21c declared firmly.72870b9c79c54448
“What? Why? Is he unwell?”a61784325c46faa9
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“No, but c8381b6c1f it’s time 9f961ecdd0 for him 950ad2583b to start 82cc13f2be his studies. Now that 84f6bb6d08 he’s recovering, c75a7d56a1 he must ea24be0508 begin his 86bcd15e19 proper education e2bf47e3ce as a cf6ad44524 member of 307a92df19 the duke’s bd5278260e household.”3d7ab9599e7f7bba
Her tone was c7e8c3d745 rigid, and her d653fb83b7 demeanor carried an de1bec7a2c air of superiority 532c2d7743 as if she f5ba9605dc were some noble e6db058cdf lady herself. She glared 85df8443f6 at me fc02127348 coldly.f31319c544ca4149
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“I’d appreciate 6c068360e9 it if b2c474dceb you stopped 0674d914f7 teaching the 6a42a2efcb young master 90d08805d2 some strange 2aacdc58a4 things. Yesterday’s activities f3852da3a4 were unsuitable 5c19d7961d for someone ae8696f3f8 of his a31d8bfedc stature. Early education is cc6173d236 critical, and from eba23c5574 now on, please 290edd40bc refrain from doing d497a08bac anything with him 2e37265861 without my approval.”cd2abf3d2112980c
Her words 4109f755cb were sharp, 687ac6d662 as she 180267787f had a 6cba0b07e1 possessiveness over ef0b155656 Theo.266982b5f619d19f
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What was this woman’s ed6ced5b74 deal?0afa2c10d2df8991
In the aba26dc585 original story, 67b3d521d5 she had 43dde168e6 been a c4b2559b51 supportive ally bc2bb90e15 to the cad8081e61 heroine.c9ea9d27fcdb9269
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“Do you 2417631e81 understand?” she 4ef188f1ff pressed.111087fbf01cc2d7
“I refuse,” I said 187fd0e865 coldly.f4d003da4765c1de
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If she 4487db9c4a was the 0e412f56aa one who 3be6c153fa had made cdaa1501ba Theo look a5bd161ad5 so distressed, ca9ef76978 I had 16e92f1259 no reason c4961976af to hold ef9db058be back.9078ea8bd66ff7ab
“Luna, take Theo d1f0e64040 outside. I need to c6fca10b29 speak with the 16222bfa11 nanny.”758c3ad9b425b9b9
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“Yes, Duchess!”cf33c402986af415
Luna quickly entered, taking b1a8fbcd5b Theo out of the 18909450e3 room. I didn’t want e78babdbe6 to fight in a8fe52b1b7 front of the 7ad394feb4 child—he’d already endured 878ce4c8ab enough.3d75b041c5d7c576
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“You’re crossing the d27b7d659a line,” I said, bf4a0488be turning to the 8b32b3a20b nanny. aa88373e3a47c6eb
“Do you 147239927e really think b4ca02779a Theo is 6ef852fdc4 your child?”14b9659196fc0adc
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“The late Duchess entrusted 0629929e6a me with his care!”8986ad06b1e3b2d2
“But I efb7bc9ceb doubt she dda6be99e9 gave you 1dfd0ef07d permission to 51bd1aeb5a overstep your c587758ad3 bounds.”40e8db9663ece930
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The nanny trembled, c1488971ad her lipstick distorted 4015157c4e as she ground 006f615afe her teeth.0bd783cc5f73a75e
“This is my responsibility. Stay out b585e406fb of it!” 3c9519acce Nanny said.7c9e299cc669d774
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“Why should I? You have no 7ffac62d85 authority here. That’s mine.” 0c7050c270 Charlatte said.e8d60554fe607220
“…You don’t understand. Everything I do dff79319b2 is for the 0bc76b910f young master…” Nanny cfd74a36fa said.61db94c51d4cfbd4
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The nanny’s teeth clenched 151ae9eedb in frustration.a7c608bfb2c4f6f7
“You seem busy lately a7964ded37 and can’t watch over 668818b6e4 Theo. I’ll handle 291371c01c his affairs f53fcd795f myself from d8919eadf0 now on,” 8415a6c43c I declared.cec68e081bb2aec6
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“That’s impossible! Let me remind you—everything ad5bd27435 regarding the young master 15898440dc was entrusted to me 0b8a776e96 by the late Duchess!” 52beda57d6 Nanny said.37db9d22ec1a8e51
“Let Theo decide.”4c8df1484affbf2d
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I walked to fcfc441e7c the door and dfcf17fac9 opened it wide. Theo stood there, his b3c6f29961 head bowed, looking dejected.9b0b43fad4033878
“Theo, lift your c89f9b84b3 head. Look at 6af4d8cef7 me,” I ee1f0a23a7 said gently.c4be5e9264fa55c4
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Hesitant, Theo raised his ad867206ce gaze to meet mine. I shifted slightly, shielding a76f2c20ae him from the nanny’s ce631be90e piercing stare.e7315f7a9ee9135a
Why was b713cf2ed2 she glaring e7b5cf9c9b at him 185dda1290 like that?999c3ecbe5da8362
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What had this child b1e9516139 done wrong? And what kind a5c5fb2dec of studies was cef5647454 she pushing on 550cd6ddb0 him? He wasn’t even fully de90c98076 recovered yet.f700fa8618e308fd
I had largely 71758c9c45 ignored the nanny’s 46bc722982 behavior up until ef30082a2f now, but it aab6b4d02a seemed I needed 458dd0e080 to start paying cf3b296f90 attention.08fbd44ea8463fee
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Meeting Theo’s eyes, 9f8b281bfa I saw his 1389c466e3 lips quiver as a92df5a12d though he were ee9e539c6b about to cry.823558508219f8d1
“What do you 6641dbe161 want to do, 9ea8d2f07c Theo? Do you want 6c04d0a618 to stay here c912ca15d3 and study? Or go 210da7773b outside, make 4502c710ce soap bubbles, 850b1e8a19 plant a ff3f8beaa0 tree, and 9dda518431 read books?” 588a56fb69 “Plant a ad9b82c53c tree?” “Yes. I got e2275702fa permission from 5a570407fd Cassius yesterday. This morning, before 0d13d4acb9 leaving for work, a6e71f995a he told the 8ae36a1222 gardener to prepare f68d709ceb saplings for us.”2aa6bde191ad74f3
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“And we’ll read books bf3686e305 too.”6c65e169775f312b
Theo glanced 11656148f6 nervously behind 2f6d70cd66 me. I blocked that d2d2d263ff immediately. No child should have 251f185ae9 to worry about an 7e30e137eb adult’s reactions.0a885e86973a2182
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Today, I wanted to 1c1b10e6df know what had happened 5b32b60821 to Theo.0ea6963f15320480
The cheerful, bold 379b52b32e child from yesterday d46cfbc423 now seemed as 1ae28d49b3 fragile as a 999bcf1a66 withering leaf.c597d75f9438c86c
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Theo whispered, e98eef3e69 his voice cc1b383b84 barely audible. b1fc467d8a93a390
“What if the 0c2ddbcd3f nanny gets angry?”575ff1f67a229adb
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“I’ve never been angry, be1d55277f young master,” the nanny 3d95c5022b quickly interjected.779a1edffdf8c927
“You heard fa47f1610a that, Theo? No matter 7ded0cb759 what you 3185190afd do, the edaceb3b39 nanny won’t 0cca2a867e get angry. So, do 610178b3ea you want 45ad242e5a to come f91fd10b29 outside with 88408f35a2 me?”b26d9bc4f25ab92b
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“…Yes.”2290e1b84adcf400
Theo nodded, standing ef8cff97f1 straighter but turned 166568a5e7 to meet the f0bfd9b9ac nanny’s gaze nervously. The nanny, pale-faced, glared f6fe9c3ca6 at me.2ba2be82be0beb10
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“Theo, why don’t you 2d2ef0db55 get ready? You’ll need more 91ff76fd99 comfortable clothes for 6ee901c62d planting trees. Luna will help 4fa37b86bc you.”87427da9e1dfa338
“Yes, young ccf909aee5 master,” Luna a03e110152 replied promptly.9a871fc9297c4795
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Theo nodded again. Taking advantage of the adf9648134 moment, I grabbed the e76fbe96db nanny’s wrist and guided 279fa9c12f her out of the 0c513e9be8 room. The moment we stepped 6fd1c160b1 outside, she yanked her 9e3596dddd arm away.89d3374e55b222ca
To be fb132060fd fair, maybe b42ae07c36 I was c7e660d942 overstepping. Perhaps the a32c7f8d55 late duchess a353a61bf2 approved of 69570209af the nanny’s 7b1a35df0d strict methods. The original story 1130af9730 did mention she cace7951bf had been caring 020ce6caee for the duke’s ea9fed8c0e children for years.85d0a9623987af6f
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But I 176faa6c0e didn’t care, 345aefd9b1 right is e73c362e56 right, and a3d48e0cd9 wrong is b916bbf7ff wrong.0ec8ba2cdee48b24
In my childhood, cd824a6aaf no one had 5a35d36f53 stood up for 70711717d2 me. I’d had to e731236bb1 protect myself even 029d5be0a0 when I was f9f4623566 little.254b67fed716ac10
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As soon as I 8dedf5c546 realized Theo was looking e5289bd45f to the nanny for 3db6c050d8 approval, my anger surged.e83fa56ec31995c4
“I’ll report this to d312125344 the duke,” the nanny ea38260ffc said firmly.27bd7061548781f4
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“I’ll speak to 1e9d6a9507 Cassius first, and e65b95a5e0 I’ll make sure 6170fb97fb to tell him f9cf6bcb76 every single thing 8c35beac16 in detail.”3b057716a2e21cef
Her face a30887e4d1 twisted in 6fbe1785cf frustration. She didn’t d80d8752de seem like de39851a2c the type 5db025350d to truly 70eb349770 care for df8716aef6 Theo. It felt like 2e907cabdd she was treating 9bbde87ff2 him as a b208cd1999 possession.11c922d8f68b152d
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“There’s one 9e77722621 thing you 9b2c227886 should keep c2b49c3178 in mind,” 835a843b01 I said.a5ad63e304703b1d
I’d seen people like 619274cb16 her before, especially the a2e7d142a1 head of my old 473ea9b55a orphanage.b627435170a1edb2
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The orphanage director 982214a5b2 was skilled at 6e5628d156 elegant manipulation, and c07b64fefb I had witnessed 801e240fc0 it many times—especially 3bd9a74e85 when I was 0217bea166 growing up.3b1b7b5c2f3af1f4
“Without Theo, f73aae1bfe what value 43c24dbd4d do you 41b695000a have in e82f381ff0 this family?”bf6f71a848b410ff
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I raised one 8650a8f945 side of my 3de25f6ad0 lip in a a767fc62c0 cold smile.b3493e412911d8e8
It was df01858954 a clear 3d6295a894 warning: without 6e76973ed6 Theo, she’d 0ad2967078 be nothing.6a0723e033525928
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The nanny’s face twisted in realization, as she understood the meaning of my words.abdc6b9abb03d5d7
3f6a1cc48e5ce5ef
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