Episode 29
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Priscilla finally let out a long sigh as she watched her son speak with eyes full of sincere concern.
“You really… It’s because you’ve been worrying about me too much since you were a kid.”
“”What am I supposed to do with being born like that? Mother,”
“People don’t know how sweet the Duke is.”
Looking at Priscilla, who smiled as if she couldn’t help it, and Damien, who smiled back at her, at a glance, Chloe felt as if she had a glimpse of the reason for this family’s harmony. Damien and Priscilla must have had a special talent for being self-centered in everything.
Chapter 13. Solitary in the Bedroom
When she returned to her bedroom, she finally realized that a long day had come to an end. It was when Chloe, who prepared herself and changed into pajamas, put on a head wrap and was about to lie down on the bed.
“Little Madame.”
The small voice of the maid, who had helped her, was heard again from outside the door.
Am I missing something?
Chloe struggled to raise her body which was already laying down on the bed and spoke softly.
“What’s the matter?”
The maid, who came in with the door open, opened her mouth politely, trying to hide her hesitation.
“The master asks you to go to his bedroom for a while.”
Chloe turned her head to look at the cream-colored door that connected the two bedrooms with her neat eyebrows gathered between her forehead. The owner of the bedroom, behind the adjoining door, seemed unwilling to let her sleep.
“Tell him I’ll be ready soon.”
It was when Chloe hid a sigh and slowly opened her mouth.
“Is that necessary?”
When the door swung open and Damien appeared, the maid and Chloe’s heads turned at the same time. The maid quickly bowed her head when she saw the duke in a loose, single gown, and Chloe sat up on the bed, clutching the duvet tightly.
“It’s a time when we don’t have to be polite to each other and dress neatly.”
Her nape, which was exposed over her beautiful off-white lace nightgown, heated up.
“T-then I’ll get going….. .”
The maid, who looked younger than Chloe, with a bright red face disappeared immediately. It must have seemed that Chloe and the duke were in a good relationship, but she was in a position where she could not resolve the misunderstanding.
“Aren’t you coming, Duchess?”
Chloe bit the flesh in her mouth while looking at Damien, who was leaning back against the opened door, before speaking.
“I am going now. Duke.”
As she reached for her cane, his low voice caught her again.
“Forget it, don’t prepare your face and just come.”
Chloe turned and looked at him. The thick eyelashes were pointed upwards. Damien asked again as her eyes glared at him in silence.
“Can’t you get out of bed without your cane?”
“… It’s not easy. I will fall over and over again.”
Legs without strength below the knees could not support the body. The duke acted as if he had to hear that fact directly from Chloe’s mouth, and was satisfied.
“Would you like that?”
“It would be cute.”
Chloe ignored his ridicule and grabbed her cane as if snatching it. Damien stared intently at her as she walked into his bedroom, and the door shut as soon as Chloe entered his room.
Only after the heavy door slammed shut, Chloe was able to peer into Damien’s bedroom for the first time. The wallpaper was dark blue, and golden-colored insignias were here and there, adding a colourful feeling. Even her room couldn’t be said to be glamorous, but at first glance one could tell that the antique furniture here was the work of the best craftsmen.
“Sit down.”
With his back to the blazing fireplace, Damien gestured to her.
Tadak tadak.
Chloe floundered and sat down on the long chair opposite him from the one-seater. The sofa, reminiscent of a long quince, had little usability. Chloe struggled to open her mouth, feeling the soft velvet brushing against her bare legs under her pajamas.
“It’s late at night, do you have any urgent business with me?”
“What urgent business do you think there will be between a couple this late at night?”
Chloe blinked quickly and swallowed dry saliva. She was worried that the thing she wanted to put off as much as possible would happen tonight, so her neck was stiff and her heart was racing.
“I want to give you a reward because it seems that you have been faithfully fulfilling your duties as a Duchess.”
“I have done nothing……”
“You removed Ellie and Robbie out of my sight.”
“… Did you know about their infidelity?”
“Corruption is annoying. Especially when you have to close your eyes even if you know it.”
“…..”
“You don’t seem to understand why I turned a blind eye to it.”
Damien, who accurately grasped Chloe’s heart, grinned.
“Honestly, yes.” (Chloe)
“I love my mother.” (Damien)
Damien burst out laughing out loud this time at her, who was speechless again.
“Is that so surprising?”
“I’m not surprised,”
“You looked surprised,”
Chloe felt her hands were sweating and grabbed the hem of her pajamas once and let it go. To be honest, he was right. The reason he overlooked the servant’s infidelity was because he loves his mother. She couldn’t believe he is the one who can make such an unreasonable choice.
“My mother is innocent and fickle, but she is the one who gave birth to me.”
“……” (Chloe)
“Isn’t that quite good too?” (Chloe)
Chloe thought that the Duke’s reason for calling her to this night wasn’t just to brag, but the Duke remained silent for a moment after he spoke.
“You don’t accept it.” (Damien)
“You’re not very pleased with my compliments, are you?” (Chloe)
“It depends on the situation.” (Damien)
What the hell are you talking about? Did he forget that whenever I was polite and complimented him, he always humiliated me for sugar coating?
“This is a private time between the couple.”
“So?”
“I’m asking what you think of my appearance.”
“I’m sorry, Duke, but are you kidding me right now?”
“I’m serious.”
Chloe couldn’t understand the Duke’s whim, but she decided that she had to say something to finish this quickly.
“Princess Priscilla’s beauty is well known to all the people of the kingdom. In addition to giving the duke the external beauty and outstanding abilities, I could clearly feel her love for her son… It was very surprising.”
“Chloe.”
He crossed his legs and put a splendid smile on his face again.
“You think you’re very good at talking.”
Damien continued the conversation without holding back his laughter.
“Wrong. It’s all over your face.”
“Then I will have to work harder in the future.”
What Chloe uttered in a low voice was the courage that she managed to pull out of the stomach. Damien looked at her and finally got up. She lifted her head and looked at him as he held out something on the bed to her.
“I thought I should give you something much better than a cane that you lose every time.”
Chloe looked at him as he held it in her hand. The long object, in the shape of a palm-sized tree with a small iron, looked heavy at a glance.
“What is this?”
“It’s an orthosis. If used properly, you can walk comfortably without a cane. It will take some time to get used to it.”
“… Thank you.”
“Try it.”
Chloe didn’t move and just held on to the brace that the Duke had given her. She barely opened her mouth only after he gave his order again.
“Later.”
“Do it now, Chloe. Otherwise, I won’t be able to see it.”
All Chloe wanted was a cane. Even that, it was just an impulse uttered because she longed for the Duke and his army to return safely from the war.
“Thank you for the gift. But I think it’s up to the recipient to use it.”
She didn’t know how to use unfamiliar objects, and she hated showing herself limp and falling in front of him. How much does the Duke have to dig into her weaknesses to be satisfied?
“Did you have a secret affair with that servant in first class?”
Chloe’s face flushed with blood from the cold, unannounced shots fired at her.
“What are you talking about now?”
“I’m asking, if it’s your intention that you dared to bring your favorite servant into my estate even while changing his seat on the train.”
How the hell does he know that?
Chloe frowned and asked him,
“… Did you assign someone to watch me?”
“With Tisse’s name, information flows in from all directions, even if you don’t want it. There are people who dare to ask for money by saying things that are not true, but looking at your face, it seems to be true.”
Chloe bit her lip and turned to face him.
“Gray is a faithful servant who has served our family since childhood.”
“Eliza was the woman who breastfed me, but she stabbed my family in the back.”
She wanted to raise her voice in front of the duke saying that this was a different situation, but he would refute asking what was the difference between the two.
“I……. beg you to stop insulting me.”
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Chloe’s breathing heated up. It was unfortunate that she was being misunderstood. Damien tilted his head and looked at her as if enjoying her reaction. And slowly opened his lips.
“I saw a worker at the train station who handled horses terribly. He looked like an outsider, but he couldn’t help but stand out because he looked straight at me boldly.”
Chloe’s dark brown eyes shook wildly.
No way. Is Gray still here? Without going back to Verdier’s estate?
“Looks like he has settled in here. He can’t stay at Birch Castle, so he decided to protect his madam from the train station? He has great chivalry.”