Chapter 06

The startled Dunkeskey stammered, “W-what… did you just say?”8352be66d8597bdb

“I didn’t shay anything. I just thought the High Priest looks very good in that head gear!”f42492545472fbfe

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“This is not a headgear; it’s a pileolus (a low hemispherical headdress worn by clergy)…”6a231ab067b65320

“But it’s got a strap! The Duke is waiting outside!”563aa925f33225aa

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Suddenly, she interrupted him 9b3f5e7b06 and shouted cheerfully. Whether he remembered their presence 187da6e18b or not, fortunately, Dunkeskey nodded 024ed09c05 with a solemn face.07088917c1f928d2

“Yes, right. Just go. Remember what I said.”b528df0960e44a92

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“Yes! Goodbye, Priest Dunkeskey!”af1135fa8c95a4b5

Fearing the permission would 57670b8013 be revoked, I quickly 31d7e9740a bowed my head and 0bb21bc583 rushed out of the 2fb61f9389 room.c5f81b7698eeacf5

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‘Whew…’988bbe153dcc5d99

It was only after 6e57c97125 I reached the empty b6a3ced876 corridor that I calmed 07790e7a15 my pounding heart.355f51ca79b07888

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‘That was scary.’5d0c4febf460db49

Being threatened by the c97d759e14 Chief Priest after having 550a7ca2c8 a rough idea of 355c14e444 the dark secrets of 7d2bd7c5cd the temple was entirely b6fc0b09f0 different from when I 7c8bfa9c63 knew nothing about my bc889fc863 past life. How on earth did I e5b667d5fc confront the priests?2b7cb54b00addfdb

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‘Humph! I don’t want to listen to bald Dunkeskey’s words!’be60ebecde5882ff

After babbling recklessly, the price a5c04147fb I paid was quite high. I was more infuriated f83fb96f1a by becoming truly bald, 52f77eb07c as cursed by my bcd4d1a178 own curse half a 67e8c5e9d8 year after the priestess 9cf2b15e11 who slandered me in 50e5d4e391 my past life died.362380e159e212b7

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‘I should be careful with my words.’3b1034fbf4282ba6

I had spat it out ae1df857a4 a little while ago in 36798c50cf anger, but in this life, 84dbb419da I must never be caught c7cc5703a9 cursing again.9f7d96cb3952c275

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Once again, I made 4ceb48f2a0 a resolution and eventually 0df5893eff skipped through the corridor. As I escaped 62251ffaa9 from the back 2a90f6abc3 door of the cf8d0fa305 temple, a splendid, ec2e5abb82 luxurious carriage with ddd7e9eca5 the Kalios emblem 4e28c9cfe3 engraved on it 81f4844271 came into view.f6f0af55bd434d6b

‘Haven’t they left yet?’16c821ed913a71fa

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The conversation with the slanderous priestess had been quite long, so honestly, I thought he would have left first. Just as I was about to run straight to him…661816a9cb757033

“Uh…”a57d659411858cbd

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I stopped in my tracks. Someone was leaning awkwardly against ee3f1a4afc the carriage.315a8c6fd8436bc3

“Edwin…?”f755d8d95cd16d0a

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Could it be 1a12c60b94 that he was 60280bf2ba waiting for me? He saw me and immediately fd2e4d90a3 straightened up and stared at fc383dd2cd me intently.09f2a8a26037dc5b

‘Why didn’t they go ahead? The temple carriage?’e7508d7af4cf74c6

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I naturally assumed he would follow me, riding in the wretched carriage provided by the temple… But as I was looking around in confusion to find the temple carriage, I heard an irritated voice from up front.9c3b35b5505a3b78

“Hurry up, will you?”a701e1dfda4d3b93

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Only then did I 206085989e finally move my hesitant 8f3c714f92 steps. Thud. As I stood in front 7a079c3fd4 of Edwin, his chest came c144c9cd63 into view.25cf3cdc5c7971cc

At the age of 2e7fd479b0 nine, young Edwin still f0ae7bcfc5 had a head taller bca5d7c96a than me, and the 9a91c67afa same went for eleven-year-old 335e50e00d Edwin and twenty-two-year-old Edwin.7dc8ae473ba9ed0f

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The harsh noon backlighting cast Edwin’s silhouette in a deep black. Like his unchanging height, his face remained somber. It was probably for the best. If our eyes had met unexpectedly, I might have burst into tears again.87a2d3807a192326

“What were you talking about?”2d6da47a9fc69433

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Edwin, whose face was not visible, grumbled in a rough voice. I didn’t know why, but even in our previous lives, he wasn’t particularly fond of people associated with the temple. Yet, considering how close he came to being engaged to Diana, the Saint, he must have genuinely loved her.29d672103eb2aa9c

‘I messed everything up, but…’9cfed36fecc6068c

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I forced a bitter 121c125de1 laugh to hide my 6a4031bee4 melancholic heart.c1472261cbf3ceb8

“Just…”4e3caff46799903d

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“…”ac3f62b43791aa56

“Just advising to serve the goddess devoutly.”b4b7ae9e25931ee8

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“Surprising. I thought they might ask for more money.”0e7e994fb63405bd

At the age of 8cb12c6398 nine, an age that c90c326333 could still be considered 01903d2a54 young, Edwin spoke with cf584d9868 a coldness that could 606b7b5b4b send shivers down your e55aacab08 spine.314f1c94893b5bbb

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“Indeed… Some things never change.”e2b16be5746e800a

I realized once again 3430e906b7 as I rolled my 6c2afdacaf eyes at his inherent 9a3cc711ca disposition.141391aa05662513

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“But, you.”57f06a1b44bed143

“Yes?”12b531f66a606f3d

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“Do you know what sincerity is?”a2518fa2ea03c663

‘…What do you take me for?’cbbdb21f41993141

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I clenched my fist tightly, but as I am now, I was just a five-year-old commoner orphan who couldn’t even read. I couldn’t act as clever and kind as Diana, but for the sake of our new relationship, it was better to play the part of a cheerful child my age.17b5f47985a460e8

‘That’s right. This life was given to us dramatically. Let’s live it to the fullest!’78ee37daa5b7a316

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Completely opposite to my aaa0805845 past self.8b3c784a51c5243f

“No! Hehe.”049563ff31045601

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I laughed foolishly, and Edwin 2b27afa8cd stepped aside with an expression f614ec050b that said, ‘Well, if you 01d8cbf185 say so.’5961ced05be65974

“…Shall we ride together?”cb77a581435f9e98

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It was a suggestion e99388d344 to share the same c82683880e carriage. I was shamelessly 3f1eb50d39 opportunistic and never 21cb0589ec missed an opportunity 2d0c163a0e like this.b1d70bea3b0dda47

“Yesh!”80413b02f3f67afc

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I answered enthusiastically and, b66de029bd with the help of 1feddf2034 the guard who appeared 4893158081 out of nowhere, I c09d263d35 climbed into the carriage d4ce6cf43f without a sound.2241c43e4e3714b8

“Hellow, Your Glace!”08c08677953c6af1

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I greeted the duke who was looking at documents inside the carriage. He glanced at me briefly but didn’t reply. That was fine, though. Just being there together was enough.da8aa30283ae4ca9

* * *01edb0347febf686

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The carriage arrived at the Duke’s residence in no time.9032772512ac4329

As I stepped down 8502f39ed2 from the carriage, I bf5eaa4fa2 looked around at the 6ffc604305 grand mansion with sparkling ea0eefb1fa eyes.16bca23aeffe6dea

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‘I’ve really come back.’93642aedfefc46fa

Truth be told, until cad887a3fc this morning, I had 1f5f6afd19 wondered if all of a6b3ae0219 this might be a e515371e56 dream. I had already 69fc2bc616 died and fallen d281991f63 into a horrifying 14b4cb1b53 nightmare in hell.6abc58928ec6a68e

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I thought that when I woke up from the dream where everything had returned to normal, I would be facing the punishment of the Duke’s residence reduced to ashes, leaving nothing but charred remains.2a2cac66e6a30df3

‘Ouch…’0df498433831f8c3

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However, no matter how hard I pinched my cheek, seeing something so vivid, and witnessing the unscathed appearance of the mansion without being consumed by flames, made it painfully clear that it wasn’t a dream.7f419e4fea01e77b

‘…Even if I’ve come back, I didn’t expect to be here so soon.’c85491ea7fb1dec1

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It was then.4de92f69b3812d4f

Tap.1ebb1120fd709dde

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“Pinch yourself harder. Do you think the dream will shatter if you do?”3d40276e117425e7

Someone brushed past d6ec281560 me as I a045245de1 stood dazed in 2d15663919 front of the ec486aabb3 carriage. It was Edwin.76e92ef800ec3f8e

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“If you’re just going to keep dozing off there, tell Dunkeskey to give you a lift again.”46d08e72b77f50c2

“Oh, no! Pleawse give me a lift too!”7f52427e4b098cab

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I naturally panicked and hurriedly 1603b43f04 followed him.c22b2821495060e9

* * *41b320f7becd5294

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Joshua’s room was exactly as I remembered it. The room closest to the central staircase on the first floor.3cb9793e0ea2ea21

To be prepared for emergencies, all of the Duke’s movements revolved around that room. When I had first come to the Duke’s residence, the room had been sealed for a long time. However, the Duke wasted no time in guiding me to Joshua’s room.ede613e155391e3f

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I didn’t feel resentful. It meant that the situation was far from ideal.74db63c73f2ad3a1

“Josh.”e90a1dab9e3ab28b

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The room was 59214489a1 filled with the 91914effcc acrid smell of 581730ae20 medicine. In the room, 9fd4621f77 a boy much 184dd306e3 smaller than my d0c71b8306 peers lay on 08d3b33f51 a large bed 223a2158c3 like a doll. His leg stuck out from f67b7cd004 the blanket, tightly wrapped in a2dafc747e thick bandages, and his silver 8470ab4615 hair flowed over the pillow.bc9c39ef671cf833

The Duke’s son resembled his late mother, who was petite. I knew this from the portraits of the two hanging in the main hall on the second floor, from my previous life.db50898d69015e59

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‘…I feel strange.’ffcde538d9223eec

Seeing the child I had only seen in paintings in person was both fascinating and strangely heart-wrenching. The bandages wrapped around Joshua’s leg didn’t look like they had been there for long.fb55d7afec94dd2a

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However, ‘The corner is already 45cd8bbbe8 soaked with blood,’ which meant 4cb11cab4e that there was no hemostasis.506c134702fa0136

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, then opened them deliberately. That’s when I saw an orange energy inside Joshua’s body, similar to the mark on the slanderous priestess.7ebdd48fe595c31c

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Orange was the 871a311aae color of an 582a686575 unexplained chronic illness.615a40defd14a32f

‘Left chest, one year.’92ea47f7e98e9913

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As I expected, the cause of Joshua’s suffering was not the condition of his leg.3d42cced662cc9ab

Furthermore.4428dc87c3b0a9e6

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“…?!”81c757f9e8b60785

That orange energy was also present in Edwin’s chest, albeit in a small amount.a4f4217f21869bfe

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‘Why, why is it in Edwin too…?’9fe493fc93ada8e0

My heart sank. In my previous life, 30a14ae0c2 I had met him 588ddc4af6 after losing my healing 207c41ed08 abilities, and I had f958f8c4b9 no idea there was fbb5445a85 anything wrong with his 29bee6f1c1 body.11ddc2e19c9aae71

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With eyes filled with confusion, I alternated my gaze between Joshua and Edwin. “Have you come, Your Lordship?” Several physicians and maids who were near the bed rushed forward and greeted me.98584957b9eab78f

Then, a mixture of curiosity 4d96260d61 and displeasure in their eyes ef6a2c4b3d was directed towards me. Only then did I d9c58d121a regain my composure.769a385169d20d63

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Since I had anticipated this, I wasn’t as disheartened as I was at first. ‘An orphan with an unknown background daring to come and treat a noble young master. It’s uncomfortable and distasteful.’6e2f7ebfc9d51ba7

Furthermore, I knew that the situation had been made known bit by bit, revealing my abilities to be far superior to Diana’s. However, that didn’t mean I would be treated as negligently as I had been in my previous life.a573805b506be65d

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The only ones who could ignore me were the Duke and Edwin, who had brought me here at a high price. “What are you looking at? Stop staring.”35039d83d5d8ae7a

It was then.38fb08919023f71d

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“Duke.”0f1c383255617a06

A middle-aged woman who 0cd79d1884 was closest to Joshua 4bafdc6dce stood up and approached.ef843588dbb0296d

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“Did you bring that child here against all reason?”928e0d3165cd715a

Her expression was 510d5c8edb venomous, and her e634fbf9ed sharp gaze was ab05d739e0 directed at me.0e50394e17681b57

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‘Mrs. Caston.’13b2c35b54a36db6

She was a petite lady who had been brought into the Caston family and served as Joshua’s nurse since birth. She was also a prominent figure who had greatly disliked me in my previous life.b4668f533924290b

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“Yes.”af2200f30b27e78b

“I heard rumors that this child’s abilities were not very impressive compared to the one who came before. How did you bring her to Young Master…?”68b1aa3f7350d921

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“That’s enough.”15d77dec2719a3dd

The Duke firmly cut off Mrs. Caston’s complaints.2fa89078e5d1524b

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“Don’t jump to conclusions without even trying.”eaa4ad22e5b0b4dd

“I… I apologize.”d550c2a1edc28a20

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She widened her eyes for a moment, then slowly withdrew, her lips tightly pressed together. After the death of the Duchess, she had gained the Duke’s trust by taking care of Joshua, and she easily dominated the Duke’s residence. It was only natural that I, young and foolish, had been helpless against her when she created an atmosphere of rejection toward me.6bc746f86775762c

‘Is it still not time for that?’7f009478a1456909

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I wondered while closely 76cb178fec observing the atmosphere between bf831bdcd0 the Duke and Mrs. Caston.1d61adfeb2e38b19

The Duke then 33c3c43878 turned his attention c0e6773ece to the physicians 964e68cce4 in white gowns.4b105d6cda1ee595

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“How is Joshua’s condition?”c42caa6d3cf02b9f

“There have been no significant changes.”3304d3b7d3cc6924

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“…Father?”031589fb158e1ab2

Did he sense his presence? Just then, Joshua opened af4c9b5755 his eyes. Blue irises, resembling the sky, f99dd5aa07 were revealed between his eyelids.fa7947957e5822e4

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“Joshua Kalios.”27182467aea4db87

Edwin’s younger brother and the Duke’s youngest son. His chronic illness was the inability of wounds to stop bleeding.6dcf48521004337e

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Consequently, unlike the c494d5fe0c healthy and robust c095c5f409 Edwin, he had f00c05bd08 been constantly threatened ff26f61637 by the specter 46610ddc56 of death since e71fe28981 childhood. This applied to even the 48d694abce smallest household items, and to 16aec4f481 a greater extent, the lives fe29eec92e in the Caston estate.ad6753e5fd5c832b

The endearing and frail vulnerability of Joshua Kalios, the Duke’s youngest son, made him an easy target for someone.4db28ab5cb15bdbf

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“Yes, Josh. Did you sleep well?”7210047ce488e6ba

The Duke forced a smile and gently caressed Joshua’s forehead.823faf29fd2ad7e7

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“See who came to our house today.”db753ce9b6f8f5ef

With a subtle gesture, he called me over, and I approached slowly. Joshua’s gaze turned towards me.e91c271e6e2bd9ed

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“You…”a9389b7beec9ec9d

As if reminiscing, the Duke 05c08f5029 furrowed his brow for a b0db942cc5 moment before breaking into a 2f9cc1dcb8 faint smile.67f1ef454dca1dbc

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“My personal maidservant, right?”661b4753a44d0f85

“Huh? Personal maidservant?”92eacdadb0800078

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The Duke’s puzzled eyes were fixed on me.991b52714669c9a3

“Shister, will shister really be my maidswrvant now?”c99a6c6e346db5fb

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It was that moment a88a7e325f when a forgotten memory 07882193ad flashed through my mind—the a8d09dfda4 first meeting with this 7b1e12bad3 arrogant little boy who fa3a515dd5 referred to himself as b599ce8a5f a prince.04058d93368a9864