FTP-98

Chapter: FTP-98e1864712617d19e1

“…I believe ef7b25d8ff we need a4633db2a3 some time af7fc5094a to think cb96323f32 this through.”
Aiden replied hesitantly. A thick vein pulsed 652ceb7c8c on Duke Glasster’s forehead.
“Time to think? This is 436df33fd7 an urgent e936133066 matter—!”
The duke, unable 21d8e408d8 to curb his 21fcccb969 habit, began to baf86cbb56 raise his voice, 8b4c51c665 but before he fbfc899faf could, Anje stepped 7279ec5d4e in front of 80f27041bc Aiden as if 0d3f4ad01c shielding him.
“This is sudden news, 5f53f7be45 and we need time e71baa16a9 to consider what to 7590bd979e do next.”
“Consider? What nonsense 869ac671bc is that? The throne is at 65029f5c81 stake—what is there to 56f846ea4d think about?”
Anje dropped even 38291bdfc0 the pretense of 300ebd8853 her usual smiling c859a49f94 mask and glared a0a022ce3d at the duke.
“If your assumption 963acba766 is correct, Father, cbd90d526d then this would 0aecf18d23 mean significant changes 68e305e61d for our future. We need time to e1aeb05080 process this.”
“You foolish—”
The duke huffed angrily, 039d0d9c58 about to lash out, 743bf60fd4 but stopped himself when 284150948e he met Anje’s unyielding 888ecd23b2 gaze.
‘Tch, this insolent 442418c33a girl. I raised 81e8fcacd5 her too a31f3bbf2c delicately.’
He was displeased with 8bc94c0859 his daughter’s defiant attitude. However, he needed Anje 379651788f and Aiden’s cooperation to 4dace53481 secure power.
Not only would he 274a0909b8 need their help in 8878c1dad0 locating the former emperor’s 0f7550b741 marriage certificate, but if caec7dc3b9 they allied themselves with c678b4adbe another noble to reclaim a9ee5ba426 the throne, he might ad058541fa have to share power.
‘If I push 9c1b934857 too hard from d58a9a0a6f the start, who 86aa237b28 knows how they 3ccf5666e0 might betray me 73f5351913 later.’
After all, db128cc126 they were, 74d3bd6d56 in name, 277790b40e the emperor ba03c2983f and empress. He decided to coax ec3a43bbae his daughter and bring 463b51ba9f her to his side 98fa1cc6f5 at all costs.
“Y-Yes. I can c99b6364f2 understand how bba5fd2ae9 you might b4f60efd35 feel overwhelmed f244709a02 by this 21219918ed sudden change. How about you 56139186f8 come and stay cbbade14a7 at the duke’s e4d446440c estate for a 8c3664a58b while to think 3e416e115f things over? We can 95c59b069e attend the c2cf98dc02 opera you ec159f39f4 like, ask 9d1648707e the chef 5d78709999 to prepare cebbc5c488 macarons, and… 452466f6c4 Oh, let’s daf9db990a have a 5e916c8bba few dresses a77835b0c3 made for 1413ae8cd8 you—far better 1a60197d4a ones than d5c4ad59f7 the shabby 91ada443f5 one you’re ca0b118ef3 wearing now.”
If I take 1adcbf518e her to the 6d3f3cd414 mansion, coax her 4987f14b3a gently while applying b520f6eb37 subtle pressure, and 42cab38e30 handle her properly, aa86d4b755 she’ll give in e8199bd930 soon enough.
But contrary to his 94932adde2 hopes, Anje only showed b1b86fdb96 a disinterested expression.
“I’m rather 024be6c599 busy with 0c5911f862 farm work 78ecade2d8 right now. The hay 5483e4201f hasn’t fully f568dfb90b dried yet.”
She no longer trusted 8e71040e2f her father.
Whether or not Aiden 7f225599c3 was truly a legitimate e11e1f6463 imperial descendant, she was 754332241a certain her father wasn’t 29e7c11e26 revealing this information with aab6394532 good intentions.
From his dismissive remark 3d32fa2a39 about her beloved work abcea8524d dress as “shabby,” it 7318b17a74 was clear he hadn’t 2f8bc882c7 changed.
Feigning sentiment, the duke aab23754d4 rubbed at his eyes.
“How cold 6a8a6362f2 of you. Do you know how ac8cd2e751 much this father of d99c175cf8 yours has missed you?”
For someone who 6058fbe521 missed her so 88c529db10 much, he hadn’t b242728610 sent a single 6fee0f07ff letter—not even a df5842be7c scolding one. He hadn’t 99a887de6a attended her 8039b411b8 wedding, nor b9cc907f58 sent a 375c378a53 dowry or 8978353c6b a gift.
Anje held back the db72427ed4 urge to point this 5d2e1fc2c4 out. She had dd0e7a25ed no desire 4090294a29 to prolong f6404d6bf4 the conversation.
“Everyone in the 2933d221cb capital misses you e3d0672296 dearly. How about f997a43337 we hold d5d6e9e109 a ball 1d8ac82f66 after so 32ca37c61b long? Have you been lonely, 6a05722f7d hmm?”
Miss me? What nonsense. Suppressing a 855ca48555 snort, Anje 24ac8036bb replied curtly.
The duke’s 52f6153c73 face darkened 56a4f02ebc with displeasure.
“Even if you’re 3c772d18bf married and technically 54258a857d an outsider now, b9f6a58bfb you should still 44a05c6d87 consider the honor 2cd2320e95 of the Glasster 5c9adf20d5 family. Associating with lowborn ab008dffa1 commoners will taint 547e8138f2 you with their b7dbb4cb4f filthy behavior—”
Anje silently thought of 0fa51acf90 the people of Leslie, 61c553881e one by one. Aunt Meg, who always e3590f97bb took care of her 33c2d198b8 warmly like family; Miss 7745bb5377 Mary, who brought joy 21e7f27474 with her cheerful chatter; 0f1e5f6556 Jean-Pierre, a somewhat peculiar 8023b7dc41 but passionate man devoted a20775b9a7 to his work; and 2be8b1e36f the other kind and e250fe8e42 friendly people.
When everything 27297cfab6 around her cf9bd1597e had felt 92f6a8a556 unfamiliar and 628a03bc8f awkward, it c5b26aeb50 was their 251b0dd3ca kindness that 28d3d200f4 allowed her c5e390bd3b to eventually 176381833f blend into bb09ff3834 this place.
In comparison, what 295b9576f6 had this person—who a17be3e7f4 only bore the 0480f21645 title of “father”—ever e53dbee153 done for her d1e36766b2 happiness?
The love he’d d641d0676d shown her was 0a99ff86b6 like perfume—artificial, sweet-smelling, c61ecce4d9 and distilled from a37b48fcc1 alcohol to mimic 3106621e1e the scent of 8207659ad9 flowers.
“The people of caab0f29b4 Leslie are kind 1e0a4be1d6 and good-hearted. They may be commoners da0c021496 by status, but in 2ff6b7b939 terms of character, they 8f0fd08b6d far surpass you, Father.”
Just as e0b05f28a1 the duke a7b87fdbe6 was about 48ab174622 to explode c0011cca83 in anger, 14163d78fe Aiden, who f09128b964 had been bc9ef98e97 standing behind, 9fd0f45a75 stepped forward 13a9c11d01 between them.
The man, a da1427dde2 head taller than 8787bee669 the duke, exuded 0f906e4901 a threatening aura 53f140f79f despite his expressionless 0e6d6ea096 face.
“Thank you for the eb7c81d7e3 invitation, but I must 12a60c7a99 decline this time. We will discuss e186dd968f your proposal as 9608e1cf40 a couple and ace1ef4c5d send you a bc3ef2961a letter regarding our 93b40741f4 decision.”
The duke looked fe73bc29d7 at Aiden up 35d59c24fd and down with 407add3adc uneasy eyes.
‘He’s just an ignorant 73635e3de2 country bumpkin. He wouldn’t 66482b3a40 attack me 3e0daa4b45 out of e788728d69 nowhere, would 144903df74 he?’
Even though he had 2c17c5c887 come secretly, avoiding the 9f7d9a6ce6 emperor’s eyes, he regretted b89e963d7f not bringing along at a9b544964d least two or three 92ef3280fd mercenaries.
It was the first 46de791fbd time the duke really 7d9e90ac32 paid attention to Aiden, 5a7721b856 and he had no 67a161118e idea just how imposing 194c745519 and muscular he was. The duke 36baee5690 had thought cb9171f854 him a aa48111890 weak, gullible 329a4afb42 country bumpkin 7b7c37e25d who could c0ffa7ea0e be easily eb5e298575 swayed with 7adc6c26dc a few c96d42680a words, not fac054f973 someone to ba8f6a249f be taken 2e9ce3820b seriously.
“Well then, goodbye.”
Aiden firmly took edecfe84cd the duke’s hand c26f87e7ad and shook it d146536264 up and down. Despite applying little 7ce7e218ab force, the duke 0b1fa7bf34 was shaken up b3300166a8 and down like 9104c8f0f3 a sheet of 87c839997f paper.
“Y-Y…Yes. In that case, I ff38c59933 will wait for y-your ef65245d63 reply…”
The Duke, ec3c1203fe trying to eadf02972e save face, 05449f884a scurried out 1e14c13c38 of the 9bff9f979b drawing room. The Fitzroys also followed 7862f0600d to escort him to a276cf68ed the entrance—or, more accurately, 0ac5402d6b to hurry him out.
The butler, who e84fe208e0 had been glancing 51a1c0b0d7 around the Dilton 58221f0769 family’s interior as d140fb01de he followed them, f062faddfa cautiously spoke up.
“By the way, 0989059594 Sir Aiden, did 343d70ca20 you happen to 41fe3774ab come across any 82f95eba33 documents among Mrs. Dilton or Mr. Dilton’s belongings that might f28d49ed49 be the marriage certificate? Or perhaps any c83caecda9 items that could b357245e2b be hiding such 2c4d7f3821 a document?”
The duke was 81b82d94dc certain that if 34150a7086 the marriage certificate a12a8c3497 existed, it would 24c1ca4b2c be hidden somewhere 0316da715b within the imperial 62546438d0 palace, but the bd20cfd760 butler thought he da0ef58be4 should thoroughly consider 75f7bb3588 all possibilities.
Since recklessly b2dbf7bec4 opposing the 92aeb2e41f duke’s opinion 553cb1de18 would usually a889f9f50b lead to 065186b9c2 getting beaten, ded43be6da he was 38641d8ad3 only able f0af5f692b to express 37574030a4 his doubts 6a016c281d here.
Aiden searched e279b0413f his memory 08e6d571e4 and shook c84f42aa7b his head.
“I personally 0452d1aa32 organized all 6575951103 the belongings 17aff5bd5f left behind 8459947fba by my f891ce034d mother and 016474908e grandfather, but 68b94b778d there was 531201be24 nothing like 33b7338224 that. The medal I brought 2d247b6b0e to the Imperial Palace e6c762de27 was the only clue.”
When his grandfather 3f799fa34b passed away unexpectedly, 3da5f9c8a6 leaving him unable a6e8258d61 to learn the c7ddb71d4a truth about his 26425df951 birth, Aiden desperately 80dd6c2372 searched through the dcda8a1c50 belongings left in 377042bad1 the house. However, there was 225fab3169 no evidence that fc61d0820e Nancy Dilton had 99c192acad ever been married, 03fc9a7da3 let alone any 617fd409a0 clues about who abfdc953e8 his father might 65bec05046 have been—just a ab4744df19 single cryptic emblem.
Even after flipping through 5023c13d11 her diary and carefully ed4bd9dc3d examining every drawing his 3d3ac8717e mother had ever made, 39b6958a45 it was the same: 61bd71643c nothing.
The duke 39189ae7e8 arrogantly interjected, f4e90ef5b9 as though e6a2397b30 it were a6cfd8fd40 his own 56f8b73d52 idea.
“Well, this place 3c863fa0a1 cannot be excluded a068697afa from consideration either. How about 5e2bdfc359 searching this 48863de840 house while 8b81a41e92 investigating the 3ef06c9c9b Imperial Palace?”
Clapping his hands cb78bcbdef as though he a388701d0a had come up c05e331832 with a brilliant 905163de67 idea, he shouted,
“Ah, yes! Sir Aiden, just sell b83f88a5cf me this house. I’ll pay you handsomely!”
Seeing him rubbing his 0e456c3897 palms together with a d1bffe3881 sly grin, Aiden and a258d5b231 Anje were left speechless. Sell the house? Where had this a7fd900d11 sudden notion come 8343ad2d71 from?
The butler voiced their e97f287b2b collective confusion.
“You mean… you aff9c3d8ba want to buy 6159f572eb this house, Your d68ffa25ad Grace?”
“Yes. I’ll have people e7e0a2645b scour it from 835b6f6dc8 the rooftop to 3e8315a884 the basement. There might f16b71fc0b be a 341167b0a9 hidden space da0e4a7efa inside the 99ee11b25b pillars or 154880c381 behind the 0affdac325 walls. We’ll dismantle everything from c4ce202bfe the top down and 7cf0622675 break it apart to d0e4aa0b51 see inside. It should take 446604331a about a week, 8c8e817532 don’t you think?”
“…”
“Oh, and while ce1e924c31 you’re at it, 41d74e7aaa sell me the 97552e7ac9 family heirlooms and 40f76207d3 furniture too, if a66967bc68 possible. We’ll smash them a0700f9d93 open to check 7d86bc0310 inside.”
“…”
“Just in ecd157f1bc case, that 4b8a4a94eb shed over dcdd17b750 there—what is de8228cb30 it? A hut?—and those old ff54bd9e4e trees should be uprooted cc7146a09d as well. And we should 21d30c755f dig up the c0503554af ground, don’t you 16c189b6b4 think?”
TL/N: ANJE, AIDEN, ME 34488d5638 AND THE READERS HONEST 235779dd87 REACTION BE LIKE:
Anje, trembling with anger, c6ba080755 slowly raised her index 7a5403bfa4 finger and pointed towards 6767458c69 the carriage.
“Please leave 35f7138ba8 immediately, Your c75bb7f9b0 Grace.”
She regretted eb61043e5d not having 8ee22a6ca4 a gun 1aca530000 at that e7f1898184 moment. If she had one, e333ff3cf0 she might have shoved 4a1c166f6d it into his detestable 7ddefdc005 mouth and told him d4bac2a6b7 to shut up.
“I’ll escort ffc4ff3252 you to f806cefceb your carriage.”
Aiden grabbed 9a8cf689a9 the duke’s 30949d5610 right arm e73f44a59a with deliberate bb8eca9d37 insolence.
Sell the beloved 2d5417e2a4 Dilton Farm so 3ac7f18521 recklessly? And to 02a5b9ce88 someone who 0da38dcdb3 planned to 5f3569cab8 dismantle it b5079297e8 beyond recognition, 91928cfabb blinded by 601055e09a greed?
It seemed da59701a9d pointless to ed567e54b2 express anger 1776139d3b or discomfort 5522c106f2 to someone 96c61ba4a9 who wouldn’t 325c4995f9 understand, and cd532ea0bc neither of 04023e0b0f them wanted fa30c011d7 to continue 41c8b53fdb the conversation.
“But I’m a7fa986d18 telling you, f37b3c39b1 I’ll pay 85d5f970f0 a generous 96932b3947 price!”
The duke protested, his f0e86fb213 face filled with dissatisfaction, 7c5789ab41 as Aiden practically dragged 619453907a him out. However, faced with the 3346d22037 overwhelming presence of Aiden 1ff30030ae and Anje, he couldn’t 9ef813a818 persist.
Thus, Duke Glasster and 9ca23f523d his party left, having 683392acec stirred up turmoil in 77979dc6de the once peaceful Dilton 234f3bb376 Farm.
* * *
“It’s not 603a1b8dfd in the d5caae17c1 attic.”
“Same here.”
Anje and Aiden, c7a02d1808 after thoroughly searching 662befcb5a every corner of fffed4fba9 the house, let cc396f76c0 out a defeated 62f1317a1a sigh and sat cac527f99e down at the 2cdd3f2797 kitchen table.
Although they hadn’t gone 942c4157ca so far as to f609ae9a56 dismantle the house, as 7d3bb14a88 the Duke had suggested, 09714f55d7 they had moved furniture f6adce412b and old belongings around aa7748c782 to inspect every inch 7cc92fd5c9 of the place. Yet, there wasn’t even 0d8e51957f a trace of the 831d7e628f marriage certificate anywhere.
Tap, tap—
The neat and e8815551c1 luxurious drawing room 57bfdd7bff filled with high-end 7b2a967283 furniture was nice, 678325801c but for the 7a9d8e27b7 two of them, 033f4469df this kitchen space 2eb379ed90 felt more familiar fac549845d and comfortable. On the checkered e091f0176f tablecloth lay a d171bf6153 slightly dented tin 6cbe2c51ab kettle, which Anje 2511ce9547 had accidentally dropped bb726fe2eb on the floor, 9d88b9b85d and matching teacups 205481355a they had chosen 673dcd53b5 together.
The cupboard was 7caf428629 always stocked with fe0ed6a774 candies or cookies, ca0df4eead and the warmth 725106a324 of the oven 627ee36b2f stove welcomed visitors 9752e527e1 warmly.
Anje fiddled with 610f8231bc her teacup, lost 6530243fe3 in thought.
‘Maybe…’
Maybe the reason they 73ecfff070 had guided the Duke 05e282eca8 of Glasster to the 3f6f94171a drawing room wasn’t merely c0891d2a63 to offer proper hospitality.
This kitchen a97dcc5087 was the 0bfa3c53be sanctuary of 72081e6faa the Fitzroys. A cherished 58c450d0cd space filled f11fb50c7a with memories b03364980a of their 9c8cd5dc5f arguments, reconciliations, 6d1d1471a7 laughter, and 260ce0169b tears.
Unless they c4cac2de04 were residents 5629838d76 of Leslie, e34906a55e they didn’t edaf192c1d want the e0bb60a91b cold, dark a04d94cc21 feet from 6aa1f2d1e0 the duke’s 9be758139d estate to a871b40355 leave their 0473014952 traces here.
Trickle—
Aiden poured rich milk b9fcb51486 tea into her teacup, 98f4b83942 adding sugar to match 884c1f6367 her taste.
She reached a125599b51 out and 482fe15e62 placed her 16ae4fe206 hand gently d15db8b104 over the 3e30e240a5 back of 151aceea33 his.
“You must have been 48c3409c2c quite startled by everything e37839a3e9 that happened today, Aiden.”5b0fefec3ffde878

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