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Chapter 32 – Part 1
“……”
Yeah, I could guess as much. I was wondering why you haven’t brought it up until now.
I almost let out a derisive laugh. This man truly had not taken one step away from my expectations of him.
Nodding obediently, I hid my disdain.
“If that’s what you wish, Brother, then I will follow.”
Over the course of a year and a half, I had proved to be of little use as ‘Duchess Valentino’. Owen couldn’t get the information he wanted, and neither could he take down Theodore and bring him in as a prisoner.
That’s why Owen had started planning out other ways I could be ‘beneficial’.
That is, to sell me to Lennon Chester.
That way, he’d be able to get his hands on some land and some control over House Chester’s military forces. This much was a lucrative business deal for the Everett household.
There was no reason for House Chester to refuse either. There’s not one woman who wanted to marry Lennon Chester because of his notorious reputation as a wretched lecher. His older brother, the current Marquis Chester, wouldn’t even take issue with me having already been married once.
‘Rather, wouldn’t that household even welcome me with open arms?’
“By the way, that was unexpected. I didn’t think you’d have any sensitivity to spiritual power… No, did it just recently manifest?”
Owen muttered to himself as his eyes glinted. It almost looked like he was already planning ahead. I hadn’t even thought about that matter deeply just yet, but in any case, I put on an expression that would make it seem as though I had no idea what he was talking about.
“I guess it’s just a coincidence.”
“Coincidence?”
Owen narrowed his eyes as he repeated the word.
Instead of avoiding his gaze, I carried on with the same blank, doll-like expression.
Under his scrutiny, I hung a fake smile upon my lips—one that expressed how I thought his assumption to be absurdly impossible.
“…When an elemental spirit’s contractor and a normal person are close to each other, it’s a very rare case, but spiritual sensitivity could also be carried over.”
Owen continued to mutter to himself. A dangerous glint flashed through the gaze that was fixed on me.
“But that kind of thing… is only possible when the contractor truly loves the other person.”
I wanted to overturn that supposition by asking whether that’s actually possible with Theodore Valentino. However, I pressed down my cynic thoughts and instead nodded meekly.
“I believe it’s because I’m spiritually sensitive by nature. Or perhaps the spirit of the Ashridge Forest is just unique.”
“……”
Owen had always been like this. In my life, I harbored no wishes and so I consequently held no hopes nor desires and lived like a puppet being pulled by the strings attached to me.
And, every single time, he made sure that I was ‘empty’. For him, no matter where he dragged me towards by the hand, I was merely a tool that would follow his will no matter what.
“Theodore Valentino…”
Trailing off, Owen reached out and momentarily touched a lock of my hair. And it felt as if his hand would change its position in an instant to strangle me.
“He seemed to have changed, as if he’s more in favor of you. How strange, truly. He’s not the type to act in such a way. Did he hurt his head?”
I was shaken by his question, but my reaction was only inward. I made sure not to show him any outward signs.
Owen stared at me intently. As though he was trying to catch any sign of a reaction from my entire body.
With a tone of indifference, I answered.
“Who knows. Whether or not he has changed, it means nothing to me.”
Then, Owen looked up. The moment I realized that his gaze was now directed at a spot behind me, my heart plummeted to the ground with a thud.
“…So that’s how it is.”
Now, towards the man who had just stepped into the hallway, Owen asked quietly.
“What do you think, Duke Valentino?”
The footsteps of that person grew closer. With a small smile, Owen swept my hair at the back with one hand.
Then, that other person’s arm reached out to me from behind and struck Owen’s hand away. That person placed a hand on my shoulder and led me away.
I was promptly pulled into that man’s embrace. Soon, as that man naturally encircled my waist with his arms, I caught a hint of his scent—a fresh summer forest.
As I blankly raised my head, my gaze met with blue eyes that had a complexity of thoughts beneath them.
“……”
Theodore glanced down at me, then he let out a sigh.
“…You were late, so I came here to find you.”
…What do you mean, late. It’s been less than ten minutes.
Instead of pointing that out, I struggled to get out of his arms. However, instead of letting go, he held my waist tighter.
I looked up at him incredulously, but Theodore pretended not to notice. He turned to Owen and spoke.
“May I lead my wife away now? Her Majesty the Queen is looking for her.”
‘…Queen Ellemiel is looking for me?’
For a moment, I was so surprised by the unexpected statement that I was about to ask the reason, but my confusion was soon cleared up.
“Aha… Will Her Majesty be congratulating Lily for saving her and the Crown Princess?”
Perhaps amused, the corners of Owen’s lips curled up as he looked at me as if I was a dog performing some trick.
“It’s something worthy to be commemorated for a long time after this. For having been useless all this time, you’ve finally made a contribution such as saving members of the Royal Family.”
This made Theodore’s expression harden. Soon enough, words that sounded like a growl came out of his lips.
“What did you just—”
I interrupted him right away.
“Yes, it’s finally happened. Then, Brother, we shall be off. We can’t possibly make Her Majesty wait any longer.”
And I walked away, pulling Theodore with me as he barely budged from that spot.
As we left that hallway, that’s the only time I could let out a sigh. I tried to look up furtively, but Theodore was staring back at me with a dissatisfied yet somehow mixed expression.
After I calmed down, I calmly told him.
“Please don’t try to confront Owen. Especially on a day like this.”
A memorial service was being held today. On such a day, it was beneath the dignity of noblemen to have an unseemly squabble.
He’s not the kind of person who didn’t know this, but why…
——