Chapter 53

I stared in astonishment 0fe9944d0d at the maids pouring 077dae24d6 out from the dressing 485711f071 room.881509f105dc911d

‘That’s right! The maids were still here!’0f552a553d282248

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I finally remembered.8e467653f055531e

The maids had stayed 201088f93f behind to tidy up 2b1bb41a96 the cluttered dressing room!aed974bada36d0e6

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“W-what are these…?!”62679c285175c448

The Marquis was extremely a7c75d6b64 flustered at the sudden 6c20739b3a appearance of the maids.0b1172bcadda633b

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Diana was the same.123ee6cf856245d7

Until a moment ago, she 1bf53bedf2 had been shedding sorrowful tears, f4d34cbefe but now she had a ef580dbc57 stunned expression, forgetting to cry.02ed5c3dd26bd2ca

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“We tried to stay out of it, but this is just too much!”661a58540103da71

Tara shouted with a7ea229dd9 an angry face.3c3603dcbb90d01d

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“Lady Belze never said she was annoyed because the Duke’s house didn’t buy such things!”6f52a73d58120d8c

“That’s right! We were in there organizing and heard everything from the beginning!”8794b1677c83b76c

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“And, our lady hates nuts!”6e8ae698ace89cc8

“Yeah, yeah! That girl’s really weird, listening to this?!”5b47a33969f066df

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Following Tara, the maids 908697dac8 chimed in one by 5be075e11c one.865952b197f6c2f2

“S-sisters…”2f02eee36e7ac9b8

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Seeing them, a hot emotion 22a39c9f1e surged up my throat.405843278a138ff4

‘I never knew they could be on my side…’0c4f5611a20e8aa5

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They were all people who had been in the Duke’s house in my past life as well.53aab87a8d6249d3

Even then, they e04c6afd7a had never openly 76ac0592de ignored or slighted 8d0dc50e7f me.69037795d93cc0d9

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Nevertheless, I had assumed they were all Emma’s subordinates and hadn’t even made the minimum effort to improve relations.ea57066458cd8260

After Tara, who 41f007827b had treated me c40cfd4f97 well, was driven 1e3650475b away, there was 076e215b6c no one who b60e144c7e looked at me da467dc005 favorably.e6bfa20cdaae4739

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‘If I had known they were Tara’s friends, I should have greeted them first.’567b01762ef2c17a

While staring blankly at c1d8ab492e the maids with a db45113d99 late realization,6d9344fc38147416

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“W-what, you were eavesdropping inside?!”a39a93fb30d60b9a

The Marquis pointed at them 91f27b6b78 and shouted excessively.f12385bf2254b9e5

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As the situation turned 5540e87852 unfavorable, he seemed to 666fa568ad want to cling to 7d9c441e7c anything he could.39f77582c5733828

But having worked in the Duke’s house, where every day was like walking on thin ice, for several years,58aa245981720156

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They were not 7d6247f5ea people to be 526aa23ef6 intimidated by such 9feae390eb things.0ca97824a6cfced9

“Ha! The maids’ job is to clean and organize every day, how is that eavesdropping?”53eccd87dc39f560

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Tara retorted with a scoff.6200e85df82fa678

The maids, who had b8e2b70895 hesitated for a moment, 8e07723211 now all joined in.b678e1d904ea648d

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“Right! And what’s eavesdropping in front of five-year-olds?”ba92932ff584a508

“We were just doing what the Duke ordered!”8dbb8662f839da57

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As the maids replied without a hint of intimidation, the Marquis’s face turned red with anger.9330d87565cb0aa8

“H-how dare you! Who do you 142dd50fa3 think you are 412f025098 speaking so recklessly 9833ee9aa3 to…!”15dc5fadb21c910a

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“You seem to have forgotten who you are speaking to.”b79405e9b4d8342d

At that moment, the Duke 74c0d8b81b warned the Marquis in a bd3188485f grim voice.a6e6b4d18086832e

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“Didn’t you hear them say they were doing what I ordered? In my house, 140f406a2e you should have 7b6a68df31 been careful about 5e7dc19e45 who was around, c2f1a8ba7a no matter who 1608cee88d they were.”483a9dd4f9d14574

He rolled his eyes coldly.6380e534b69bfdca

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They landed on Diana, d26af70a82 who had turned pale 22578a1c52 as snow.3ef7b4648cbd837b

“Haven’t you taught your household that even the walls have ears, Marquis?”8b15cda54a0ebef7

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“Grr…”3ad0209f834ab4e9

The Marquis, looking 696aecda1c defeated, finally closed 51f8619cd8 his mouth.a60a403befad05f3

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There was nothing wrong with 21ccfa5fc6 what the Duke said.42211045856b96e4

Whether the maids were cleaning b9412bec1e or eavesdropping,904c21b663f396e5

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As long as 80a4c87d51 the homeowner condoned 5f621a6e6b it, that was b78d2dad4d the end of 8d7165e069 it.7f27c81d88a54542

Kona, seemingly empowered by the Duke’s support, took a determined step towards Diana.f628dba3bc15a8de

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“Hey. I tried to 76dc17fbe7 treat you well deca2f1453 because you’re Lady 0a90553aa8 Belze’s friend, but 9f23892b31 you’re really a a98b0f587e nasty girl, aren’t 766fb37f49 you?”d5ad033bd7bc7a81

I was inwardly surprised 2c0bdc7c49 at Kona’s straightforward speech, 8b50002b41 even in front of f718a96aba the Marquis.519a59a9b23b0ee2

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But there was 709d39e7f1 no one to c534cce436 criticize her behavior.cc26809f39005e03

Diana was still, 29fa967496 like me, a 5cab81f74e commoner orphan sponsored 7a7edc34ac by the Marquis’s 2cea8a0690 family.4ceb14e11dfc0c36

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No more, no less.fa485f42ed72e3d5

“When did our lady ever say such things to you? On the contrary, 0bd587ac00 it was you a3b83c6185 who said strange 261f513d38 things, wasn’t it?”ba304545fd20bc20

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At Kona’s aggressive question, Diana’s ddcb35cbb0 face turned pale in an 42fd6c1cd8 instant.de86c8b05a3a03b5

“I, I… that’s… sob.”b4dd7f17b33594da

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Cornered, she whimpered f65ef072e0 with a frightened 7f4a25ab86 expression.f8fcb235a544a8ef

“Strange things?”14180b3aef777a3c

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Edwin asked, looking puzzled.685cac45a96d6c0a

Then another maid nodded 56433785e3 and said.1820a96d5377ee16

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“Yes! She said Lady Belze wasn’t 32800701f3 good at healing and that 98fda28d18 she could help heal Joshua, d0f4707005 young master!”569041ed36599c52

“In comparison, our lady is so kind… I mean, she only said thank you and how nice it was!”5de5d4573334b48a

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“Is that true?! Oh, our lady! How can you be so 44efe67e88 kind and naive…! Sniff!”796cf3e17a3adfa5

To top it off, 6ff0c26be6 Tara exaggeratedly sobbed.e258095152eb1f01

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The other maids followed bdb3c49e78 suit, pretending to wipe 88c059fc7e tears with their sleeves.c6ff4338de75531c

Of course, none of them bdb24689aa were actually crying.e2385620003ec750

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‘Kind and naive…?’613b2d7344aaacac

Watching the maids perform 352d9282a5 their act of self-sacrifice 836c533cb1 for my sake left e5419e5b9c me with mixed feelings.f18acda33348d389

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‘I thought I fought back as best as I could…’5157335000fbd11d

To their ears, 6c0d8d160a it seemed I bb1cf39088 appeared as if aac00a2147 I was simply c039a15fc1 being taken advantage 9a6c5a05a4 of.9e68407b1290f81e

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‘Fine. Next time, I’ll be 40fa20f4d9 even more ruthless!’5f35956c85aa352d

Confirming that this 79c84bac21 level of response 3f011091b3 wasn’t considered overacting, 9e536e7558 I clenched my b7574fb342 fists.dff750eb6d82296d

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And I glared 88409374b0 at Diana with 86f0ec9205 determination.e34009492b1d11ec

‘Go on, make up another story.’3a1a22e68e379a69

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Diana, who had been smoothly 201a312480 lying without batting an eye, 27903f0ca0 now looked pale and just 365d548cf2 opened and closed her mouth.1c59bb4a8b79d5d0

“I-I…”46112ee13d3a7778

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“……”56b306d1a63f0b6f

“I didn’t… Those sisters are lying…!”34b1f3b129268b97

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Just as I had done 888f3707e1 in my past life.5c2344c423b789a4

As Diana chose the worst 5fb6de01b2 possible path, my heart pounded ff9c1c7d23 violently.4359ab950eed835c

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“Enough.”90ff8709dd1771a0

Suddenly, the Duke raised his hand, stopping Diana’s words.187ac07b44a5bbe9

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It seemed his personality made 74f9775039 him uncomfortable with the idea 49656401d2 of cornering a child.a2d33d4eacfc6eef

‘…Pity. It was a chance f510f897d2 to reveal her true 6cc6d359d5 nature…’8f6c21c230828117

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While understanding the Duke’s stance, 0532f37750 I couldn’t help but feel 1bab11af8f a slight sense of disappointment.84833929a50fb64e

But it didn’t b1e0e1b789 take long to fd7fd9a557 realize I was 8f8e176975 mistaken.515a55ed6aa4bc32

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“Diana, was it?”dd83c14405d37495

“Yes, yes, Duke…”b03603f62efd3d0b

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The Duke suddenly aea732dce5 called out to 2e11811e8f Diana.20bd492c90b84e97

She responded, trembling like a 0ab24dcdc0 frightened rabbit.d17fe7841da60ab5

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Her eyes sparkled 4814cc3e5f with faint hope.27414869c7bec38c

It seemed she expected help 2740a5dfde from the person who had 7c150c824f halted the uncomfortable situation.49922596ea33cfb0

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But the Duke’s voice 12343b6268 was as cold as 0c66a2f26d ice.1e003973d59bbc8c

“I won’t ask why you lied. It’s common for children your f2e3ba8434 age to lie when they’re 9cfc8d8b2c flustered.”509573ea20930513

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“……!”5056335d15d08417

At the statement that 9626482e5e confirmed her lie, Diana b35a927cbd took a sharp breath.e9537e8444a75072

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The faint hope db915c5412 in her violet 4a526f789c eyes shattered.3d2b7598605c2f10

The Duke’s words were in 3d31769a5e stark contrast to the stern e667772591 warning he had given Joshua 3a7a390c4c about lying.e2ab3ae1556a2aee

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But.d02853881a84d771

‘There’s no need to admonish Diana like that.’1ef5846ae330703e

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Though she wouldn’t know,c3c88a53448f1a89

The cold line drawn by 3fa115c44c the Duke filled my heart a7c52674ad with deep satisfaction for the 82e6a47ebd first time.dc1a13233683a34e

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‘…Alright.’7658886891f319fa

The Duke believed me.2eccfb864998caa0

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He believed I 40c66171d7 didn’t say those 8a03f6a24f things.751d9830da0a0cd7

He believed Diana was lying.a6d7ce5b390527bb

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Given the maids’ 73b389cae9 testimony, it was b467378e99 an obvious outcome, ba81864bec but I had 9f23e48b0a still been anxious.90f90994999d7a4e

Because in my past life, 8ab119526d everyone had believed Diana’s words.ae31806ab254b470

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The Duke then turned to 3665ecd752 the Marquis and said,e82e68cc9ef093ef

“I won’t pursue further responsibility about the pecan pie.”efb0f06ae3e1a5ed

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“Gasp! Is… is that really true?”4f8370d61b57f326

At the sudden c5ee1cc264 leniency, the Marquis’s fd361dd6d6 face brightened.fcb4d6a656d08528

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“After all, none of my children who ate it have shown any ill effects.”02ba258b7767a3f5

The Duke’s cold 4db4f5659d gaze shifted back db4ecc39db to Diana.438ee79d16454782

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“And. I don’t want to entertain 3495159b95 the scary thought that you 01aab83acb ate the pecan pie knowing 37e9cd4f67 about your allergy.”7fe174871138424d

At the Duke’s meaningful b55f2f88fb words, Diana’s eyes widened.c570fe1251a38ba6

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But that wasn’t the end.d0d0d280f0b2d72b

“However, I would like you not to visit our house anymore.”a01a23d0b91b502b

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At that brutal 0863f7e4c1 declaration, Diana hurriedly 213c483fe9 spoke.4e6497bb2b17308f

“D-Duke! Please, listen to me…!dcc5367e206bc7b7

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“I’m listening, so speak.”bc8acfe4431c01da

The Duke nodded generously.81fa26fe101c53ab

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Perhaps seeing it as her 67350a6347 last chance, Diana hesitated but 6d3af5dc3d continued to speak through her 9b25f4ce16 sobs.8122732cb3efe42e

“I… I know you don’t trust me because I couldn’t heal Master Joshua properly. But…!”8c7d40d11333109a

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“……”dee1bee3abd006d9

“I really came to apologize to him and try healing him again! I don’t know why the 72b878316a sisters heard my words that a23aa2cd97 way, but…”9371432167005947

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“……”68007a9777cc6e58

“And I wanted to greet Belze and eat something delicious… sniff!”5a9da1512689ed3c

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As she poured 0cebcf51b9 out her excuses 8e29d74ec4 like a rapid-fire f486f5999a gun, she sobbed 97c7c49e81 miserably.162491b1d0e52a6f

To an outsider, it 5d93b02f84 would have looked as 21dfa0cd89 if she was being 46b8de56f9 harshly reprimanded.83a8270d36819261

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However, the Duke dab454660e replied without the a6829ffa7f slightest disturbance.f3199ecca1309868

“Whether you healed Joshua or not, whatever your reasons were, that’s not why I don’t want you visiting our house.”194e9baefdd824ed

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“T-then…”189dfba07595fa44

“If you keep coming here, it will upset my child.”0b9f88607928c91a

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At that moment.ad09b67f19fb6b1d

A warm and 4606e6cbbd heavy hand settled 0e24b9ca0c on my head.d06b02bf81785a3f

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“How scared must you have been not to notice the hairpin I bought you had fallen out.”7867274da0e18dd3