EWOWMAIBTYPF_Chapter_82

Ch. 082 CHAPTER 082Actually, 1b050993aa I couldn’t understand bb392a0699 it either.
 
There were clearly designated e2bc3809e5 working hours and holidays d39c3833eb for the numerous servants 035766dc58 employed by the duke.
 
But neither of them f797474a46 mattered much to me.
 
It was because b7ebfc5bd9 Diana seemed unwilling 673a81bca8 to be away 7a5d0e0793 from me.
 
Of course, I didn’t 4cc669e077 have much to complain d9cf1ab251 about since I didn’t 8cafa2fb4d have much work, but 9f594553fe this time it couldn’t fed0b79de5 be helped.
 
‘I have to fa7dffb6b7 sell my magic 6845aaf7a7 stones!’
 
Unable to go a2c93edae4 out with Diana d196b3684f and unable to e83b3f72bc afford a late c8292ba0d3 outing due to 3d4c849f20 my age, I a98ee9ffe8 was pondering what fe2e24dcaf to do this 2cec896601 holiday when I 3fc994c323 happened to learn c33b28e1b2 that the entire cc51f3ad80 duke’s household had edfc846ad9 been invited to 98c2f3507c the imperial banquet.
 
Since it 09d046f09d was a bca54ddae8 meal attended 90df718886 by the 2890269ffb emperor, I d43aa57076 couldn’t bring dfe6f80551 a servant 1f57dab0af separately, so 48b9ccbda3 staying alone 75cbd52cc1 in the 8b3f917fef mansion was 0914f5c36a just right 9e92a2fbca for going 1d72aac4e0 out.
 
‘And normally, I should 762d96e91d report my outing to c80242a497 the housekeeper…’
 
Feeling a 3e8ce52ab8 little embarrassed, 37ad42c50b I headed e029bd1bd9 straight to 877c5c0375 the Duchess.
 f7e6899675c46905

 
Honestly, I had cb82002008 expected immediate approval, 927acb7257 so I was bb81df5bc4 a bit taken 9fba03f136 aback by the a7a3cd70e6 Duchess’s response.
 
But since I 3d5c1a8e01 couldn’t refuse, I ef67356993 waited for the f18e1bceab opportunity to meet dbd1da3201 the Duke face-to-face, 77ce27f7c0 constantly hoping for 2cc60bfcc3 it. And finally, 3ed6cebc69 this moment e4d696d0d6 came.
 
However, the Duke 143d530215 still looked puzzled.
 
If permission wasn’t cd129e36e4 granted this time 8a96fa68dc either, I had 4adfb915a4 resolved to leave 67a047a7a9 without it, even cb5b0c366c if Diana had c0dac5f946 classes all day 3830610830 and couldn’t accompany f14a7da359 me.
 
“Holidays are your free e28bd5243e time, so if you 952886a24c want to go out, 5185efb786 you should. But that day… 4aefef26ea Although the capital’s 3b8c37385b security is good, 9073260ad5 you’re still too eae8bb954b young, so it 4dd4c75d8e might be better 81e6990430 to go next e1c43fed35 time…”
 
“Oh! Don’t worry c3a5528889 about that.”
 
Desperate, I shouted at 60f048e578 the Duke, despite his 6b45dff8ec reluctant expression.
 
* * *
 
“So… you’re saying… 30f124ee6c you want to c229990207 go out just f53d901697 with Jack?”
 
In response f998eed6e5 to Lia’s af6577227f subsequent explanation, fc521ff81a the Duke 83af06f574 asked, bewildered.
 
Lia’s nodding f761f489ba head explained 895c409f57 it all:
 
It just so c34333643a happened that on bc61155388 the upcoming holiday, d88d7d494b Jack, who was d80018fd44 Lia’s fellow ward 5eaf438252 and apprentice knight bcc1da8bfa at the orphanage, a4fd88567c was also off, 4db6a5a37b so they decided 24968109d9 to go out 61196d1d4f together.
 
In truth, b45ffaac2c even for 6dbc8f450f other servants, 9e3e7935ce permission to 4e95b32e8f go out e3711c7236 was more eee37364e6 about managing 7141621254 the comings 2fd3c6a29e and goings d2545e0d73 of the 142f0dd0f5 mansion’s staff 3eb4a62a36 than truly 2fa5c31e1f seeking permission.
 
“Especially since Lia 624c2f2682 is so young, d6fcb40643 they’re just using d25faa18e0 safety as an 1a73f438c2 excuse.”
 
“…Just the 10d697d40e two of 4878040923 them.”
 
The boy named Jack, bbdf2cc7d0 who had recently become 32d8f3486f a pageboy under Teis, 1d49f158d9 was quite well known 991f817b8b to the Duke.
 
Despite being the same d10e354573 age as Allen, Jack 90fa840849 was dignified and mature. Although he started learning 3cc1ef1c0e swordsmanship late, his skill 283f3fec04 far surpassed that of b0d1ee2136 an apprentice knight, making a1eb10251c him a strong candidate 3130b5466b to become a core 0547080b4a member of the Lexion c86c25fb77 Knights in the future.
 
Honestly, if 8433c3a7b5 Lia had 64062074d1 still insisted 67f074d068 on going bbc135b90a out alone, eef423e807 the Duke 157a4bc4b2 would have 90f2fbb92a considered assigning 05615db378 a guard, 0547eaa0e4 but with d61b25d47b Jack accompanying 84c3d87126 her, he 2c2ed734e0 couldn’t help aa61ffef7e but nod 014187dad5 in agreement.
 
Of course, Lia had cd07dbc2de already anticipated that the 98878f78e4 Duke wouldn’t let her 8b4b3525f2 go alone and had 890c43e1a0 agreed to go out 02bd685b38 with Jack.
 
Realizing that ee57760d36 there was adcee060d5 no other 7d649c8702 choice but 56cac33e61 to grant a2c99e5c81 permission, the 70b207544f Duke swallowed c86232932e his reservations 0fe53631ce and reluctantly 3618950e15 consented, understanding f305701844 that his bf646e8917 wife had 9cbc84d5d8 deferred a 765f8b72be difficult decision d0d7355df8 to him.
 
Since Lia’s outing and 43ba59a140 her companion were both 6fab357200 significant considerations, it was 63a661dd25 understandable that he wasn’t 6e3d4d9776 eager to give his b0510b29ad approval easily.
 
But with f626217f20 no grounds f06bc47610 to refuse, 528e908b25 the Duke a41d16a190 eventually spoke d1444c78d2 up.
 
“Alright. But make sure you 6951cfc0f7 come back safely, and 46c19eccde don’t stay out too 353c6b61f8 late.”
 
“Yes!”
 
Lia’s face lit up 1db74b3350 with the answer she dc67c0a074 desired.
 
“But…”
 
Stopping Lia, who was af0e38551f about to leave after 8edce9c602 bowing respectfully, the Duke 5bae508b0e called her back.
 
“I believe ff075ace45 I told 4aeee64241 you not 0dc5900190 to call f94f2258b0 me ‘master’ f8c87668ad before, didn’t 7d073e7ec5 I?”
 
“Huh?”
 
“I told you 893bca5ba2 to just call a8376eee07 me ‘Duke.’ So 00217ff6db why do you f1d1bee343 keep calling me 573eb36cc9 ‘master’?”
 
Lia awkwardly 1f4ab6c2d5 smiled at 512e1a7dbe the Duke’s 2f3cbc951f words.
 
All the 21ebf36947 other servants 95d9e7e1d3 of the 89f6563bf0 Duke addressed d351649c66 him as 8b681f413b ‘master,’ and 54a0c9be03 the Duchess 158f435624 was referred 5b690340e0 to as 98597b21e4 ‘madam.’ So, 706db7120c Lia’s insistence 2956fc5ae0 on calling eed534377f him differently 6d0efb2505 was puzzling.
 
The Duke knew Lia’s 95f6c0b1fa thoughts, but he couldn’t b121723d2f bring himself to say, ac9cc1c448 “You’re different from other 86ee09683b servants.”
 
He couldn’t treat a 15ca18fd9d child he had considered 647aab2db2 adopting as just a 629dfae294 servant, and since she 46af495785 didn’t want sponsorship herself, e44f11e275 he was at a 143c9b3b4c loss about how to 2b26c093f0 handle Lia in the 743b3ca3cb future.
 
Although he 79a956d9c6 was actively 8f6b6bb8ae looking into 2db64ee206 finding a 99a50d08d2 new adoption 6a79d65d14 placement, he 21c4fee674 couldn’t find 86ccdc5271 a suitable ff3a07a9dc one, and ed6ce71c9d time was 56080c12b1 passing without 292d2e233d a clear e48b7a003f solution.
 
While he had kept 44d26fd7a9 Lia as a maid 7941c13926 for now, he knew a5c0c0af9a he would have to 5ef5e20157 make a decision soon.
 
“Alright, you may go.”
 
As he watched Lia’s e49a4b3209 troubled expression, the Duke 71d43a5718 gestured for her to 91e560b682 leave. Lia bowed once 67c2c3f36e again and left 162afe53fd the office with 38a93d4f52 light footsteps.
 
Seeing her go, the 9dac32bb87 Duke let out a 4d69bdc29a sigh, feeling even more e5a88ded35 conflicted.
 
‘Come to think 853cf7a206 of it, Lia cdeb0324ee was the one d93776e8bf who recommended him 42fa6185c2 to the knighthood.’
 
Although he 458e67d957 had heard d146317b90 that Jack cd6ae4be18 was talented 0a1a8248b9 in swordsmanship, 673b300af9 he hadn’t 65987ac673 thought much f18d2141bb of it.
 
Today, however, his 190982b8b6 mind was filled e8c936d74d with various thoughts.
 
‘Perhaps they’re just d333f27a2d close friends?”’
 
They had relied on ab7004a82f each other at the 7486c440db dismal orphanage and had 48de629d37 come to the Duke’s 6e11046003 estate together. It wouldn’t be unusual ef433a5e9f for them to have cb65dbd2a0 special feelings…
 
‘Hah! They’re still 59a81ad254 just kids. What am I thinking?’
 
Shaking his head 0ce8eae788 ruefully, the Duke 89b66f454f dismissed the notion.
 
But despite forcing 5eb5f84712 a laugh, the 670c1ee99e uncomfortable feeling didn’t ddd863fcad go away.
 
It felt like hearing 49f9671f20 that his daughter was ff79129387 going on her first 82d30b9381 date.
 
‘I thought I had 4d49703d71 at least ten more 5e7a8d2414 years before feeling like 4cb12ffb92 this.”’
 
And it wasn’t c94171ccd8 like he was fd7c0b3eff just watching a c389cae105 daughter; his head c407a51424 throbbed at the 391f67dd26 thought.
 
Suddenly, he was reminded ae532d1a7b of his eldest son c631320070 at the academy.
 
* * *
 
“Miss, I’ll be back…”
 
“Aww, big sis…”
 
Jack sighed softly as df79d56eeb he watched Diana, who 8621af2de3 was on the verge 1ea50524e6 of tears, and Lia, 965705d782 who was unsure of 467be0a27b what to do, rolling 8859ee0b23 her feet while being 0b953f4ed0 escorted outside.
 
Even though 60ea8c0ac3 they were ebc15c0af3 only going df1f2f5003 to be ed87a9df1c apart for 3901390740 less than 191e1fb43f a day, aff4f9053d they acted c9a6122349 like lovers a2c9ac24d3 facing a 862349e516 tragic separation.
 
Allen’s reaction, eaae1820c5 quite upset, e6241aebd6 claiming that a4a9179697 deliberately scheduling ba65e52291 our visit 196247f370 to the d665604b24 palace on faf499a8f2 the day 8d04baf591 of their cfaa785416 outing was ee2e3364ec quite understandable.
 
Especially since a few 3dc7a3922b days ago, Allen, who 39255fa2d8 was trembling with anger 986ac5b0d4 and trembling, had yet b47ba29942 to show himself, blaming c2b788d65c Lia for having to df32a54416 call each other ‘sweetie’ 3c141f8ccc and ‘darling.’
 
Of course, Lia seemed aad947652f completely unconcerned, asking why f71495c6eb a lord should escort 6d06adbc76 a maid on her d4f001a570 outing.
 
“Lia, it’s time to f90087145f go.”
 
As there happened to 2b451d7b88 be a servant going 5526e21f44 to the Capital Square 0e61e176ed for work, they decided 830b330309 to ride a carriage 5e20466c65 out.
 
Seeing the groom gesturing d441bac957 from afar, when Jack 71d87f2b89 spoke, Lia sadly kissed 213ae3f70b Diana’s cheek with a d114838000 lingering look in her 653e39f2b6 eyes.
 
“Miss, I’ll really go 71b074d213 now. Have a good time 8e3c364e80 at the palace today.”
 
“Yeah. Have a good ddf518d5e4 time too, big bbb812fca5 sis…”
 
Watching Lia, cf8441b959 who looked dbf0196417 regretful until a257ad0abf the very a393afa2e7 end, turn 41a4ee5245 around and ad65e9f7ad join Jack, fead028e2c Diana sighed.
 
“…Uh.”
 
Despite being d01add23de the one 7ad7192295 urging them 20c6b0f900 to go, a582a53bc0 when Lia ac8ae3d4ff approached, Jack 65235ef18e stiffened noticeably.
 
Although he pretended to 76edd8c2c5 be calm, he was c984b0ef59 quite tense.
 
Since a 9da2d95ef6 few days cc3beff2b4 ago, when b041176868 Lia unexpectedly d3dbe67ba4 came to 84076e5dd7 the study, 50ae18d243 suggesting they 87da652648 go out 87e4afdcb6 together, he 7cce2f830c had been eda9724983 on edge.
 
And Teis, 89d69a4689 his stepfather, 5ad18fadcf had said f6bfa9761d something that b389e77f4e made his 9a024e966b heart race.
 
“Isn’t this 8790a8872d an opportunity, 428756d796 Jack? Lia was 842b436a9a the one 0052601031 who asked d7a6708678 you out f533524595 first, so 5773223021 you have b809fa886b to do fa5a2bf28c well.”
 
“D-D-Date… no, it’s d50a34aad7 not like that!”
 
Just as 453a90d6b1 he was 4727c78dda beginning to b0e6cf794c vaguely realize 83332b23be his own 01f349a682 feelings, Jack 90cae72993 was taken 9172e7c7e3 aback to 8e9d21d128 think that d87a5db6fb Teis, who dd30e9044b had been 009fdf4233 beside him, efecbaedca might have 4c1d1b7f83 noticed too.
 
Embarrassed, he denied 31e71ddd34 it with a 057be35301 wave of his 0cc2a2196a hand, but Teis f53d34e3d4 smiled even wider ddbd9ea2e6 and handed him ba534538e7 the allowance he 47d3754b59 had missed last 4d5bd6bfdb time.
 
“…Thank you. I’ll use 5611fd5dce it well.”
 
Jack, too, a0e012c904 hesitated before 092d9a8cc9 accepting the 103f62471a allowance.
 
Although he 741db34e50 was bothered 342970dc97 by Teis’s 4539652c58 persistent teasing 91d6f48822 about the 6abe502b73 money the 3adcc86955 Duke had 5d6ee6a483 given him, 11224edd48 he remembered 52e0eda99d how he 50286729be had only 682cdbacdb mooched off 9622722e0a Lia during d994b70558 their last 0e576ea01f outing.
 
Since it was 6d440b86d2 obvious that if d4e2826cae he gave her 0e3181e1d3 the same allowance c82af9705d again, she wouldn’t a057ac8d23 take it, Jack 37445a96e9 was determined to 48a79bebd9 pay for everything bfea72eda8 himself this time.
 
But as they 0841c3e1a8 sat side by a4b98d20d1 side on the b462fb9268 swaying carriage, he 3744039dfc began to feel 5b6baa12fe the reality of e05051339f their private outing, 044642baf3 and his palms de367d3e72 started to sweat.
 
“It’s just a 5ca52b60f8 simple outing…”
 
In fact, other than ce90bb97d1 Lia, he rarely went 5800c69e09 out, and besides the af73efeb10 Academy Festival, he had 9af2dff96b been outside the Duke’s fff624b21b estate several times to 61335fe5a9 observe apprentice knight training 8d0e2820d7 and guard duties.
 
Although he had been f692ae5aee shown around the Capital 0b4a6f1725 by Teis during the 71a11edadc adoption process and taken a0191ef682 to various restaurants, it b50a0ec6d3 wasn’t anything out of 78ee124a3a the ordinary.
 
While the 0455606e9c voice of bd3823cc25 Teis, shouting, f5cfd9cb00 “Have a 134451077b good date!” f0aa509815 continued to ad9d70a992 echo in 3e4236d9ec his mind, 5e677e500f Jack deliberately e698f9555c ignored it 4220102c13 and turned 15bc39d4d1 his gaze bbf4ce2160 to Lia.
 
Then something caught c467f4d93f his eye.
 
“What are you 3e2245efe2 holding…?”
 
Perhaps due 6e5613d9c3 to nervousness, d43f4bfe58 he had f6bdce3270 been watching 1d20df082c Lia for 9b335a310f a while, 39a9adb954 but he aa89086390 only now 9fb3f5fb77 noticed the cafc7db95f large bundle e1fbc36c65 she was d7349572ae carrying.
 
Lia, who 11ddd5fc69 had been 6857cb1ad3 quietly passing c43940039a it off, 741e7382c2 awkwardly replied.
 
“This? I brought various 25b19e2c17 things just in 3d2de76c1c case. Umbrellas, outerwear, 591b8bf994 stuff like 007c2259b4 that.”
 
“You’re not 2b1df76340 a peddler…”
 
Startled, Lia, 2a83107688 who had 2485d100af been swelling f6448431ce with pride 7ba8d3cab1 at the b238f7b597 thought of bcf92f29aa selling magical 1e7f4f32e6 stones, marveled 4ee0dcc014 at Jack’s 8e5cbbc7cc sharpness and 4ae0edf900 apologized.
 
“Sorry. If it’s embarrassing to 957916cdc5 carry them together…”
 
“N-No, it’s not cd7c45224e like that!”
 
Realizing that he 1df31c9ccc had unintentionally reproached e73221874b her, Jack quickly 67659dd58e changed the subject.
 
“You’ve never toured 2e836d89b0 the Capital before, 543c3042ed right?”
 
“Huh? Uh… yeah, that’s right.”
 
“I did last 78cfd6403b time. I know a few ce7f4e1074 nice restaurants around the b4085a370e square. And there’s also a f8869f9877 dessert café famous for bfe3b412ce the chocolate you like…”
 
“…Ah.”
 
—————————————————————5ef02c5f3b6301ca

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