The Villainess Duke Lady Hides Her Identity - Chapter 24

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 24

Pellens lifted Reportya easily in one hand and stepped out into the Garden.
“No one’s going to scold you just because you make noise and cause a bit of trouble, Reportya.”
“That’s only what you think.”
“Even if you sprinted at full speed down this corridor right now, everyone would praise you for being fast—not mock you.”
Reportya’s brow furrowed.
“That’s not proper for a noble.”
To become a perfect noble, one had to cultivate refinement and behave with composure.
That way, Reportya—who was not born noble—might pass for one, and she could remain longer at Creytan Mansion while she completed her task.
“What good is being proper if you’re only five years old?”
Reportya shot him a sideways glare.
When they wandered the mansion, he clung to her annoying and got in her way; now that she was becoming the perfect young lady to learn the Family Heirloom’s secrets, he was hindering her studies.
She half-suspected he knew exactly what he was doing.
“You praise me in front of others, but curse me behind my back.”
“Those who want to die can do anything they please.”
Reportya said nothing in response. He had been born as the second son of House Creytan, superior from birth, awakened to Aura at a young age—he would never have known the sting of others’ judgment.
Not that Pellens was wrong about anything. It was simply that they had lived in such different worlds that understanding was impossible.
“Look. The weather’s lovely, isn’t it?”
Pellens said it with a smile.
As they emerged from the mansion’s main hall, brilliant sunlight greeted Reportya. She squinted involuntarily against the bright rays.
Pellens was right—the weather was beautiful today.
Reportya found herself gazing up at the sky without thinking. Pellens watched her and smiled softly.
“Sometimes, Reportya, you remind me of someone.”
“Of whom?”
“Of my eldest brother. He was the same—as heir to the house, he was taught never to cause trouble, to do only what was prescribed, never to step out of line.”
Pellens set Reportya down in the center of the Garden as he continued.
“Because of that, I have few memories of playing with him. I could only play with him when he occasionally made time for me.”
His eldest brother—
‘He must mean Havelian, who teaches cadets at the Military Academy now.’
A man who, befitting his role as heir to House Creytan, had mastered Aura perfectly from childhood and was hailed as a genius in every other field as well.
With his extraordinary abilities, he had graduated from the Academy early, worked as a knight, and now, saying he wanted rest, he taught cadets at the Military Academy.
‘Then the eldest must have heard about my adoption too.’
Perhaps Havelian would return to the mansion just as Pellens had.
‘If the Duke Creytan and Pellens alone are this overwhelming, and now this so-called genius Havelian returns as well……’
Could she hide her true identity?
Even if she found the Family Heirloom, could she escape this mansion alive while evading three men who wielded Aura flawlessly?
‘Perhaps this place will be where I die.’
Reportya looked up at the mansion, resplendent and beautiful in the bright light.
Still, if she had to die here in such luxury by their hands, would that be an acceptable death?
Reportya smiled bitterly.
“Reportya.”
Lost in thought, she turned at the sound of her name.
“What’s wrong?”
“What?”
“Are you hot? Or do you not want to play?”
“Why?”
“Because your face is stiff right now. Your expression isn’t good. Does something hurt?”
Reportya went rigid. Since childhood, she had been trained so that emotion would never cross her face.
She had killed feeling in herself again and again, seeing it as unnecessary. Even when witnessing a comrade die from a failed mission, she had never changed color—earning curses for her callousness.
But how had he seen through her?
“I’m fine.”
“Everything shows on your face. I can see it all.”
No one had ever said such a thing to her before.
Even the Pope always laughed, saying he could never tell what his first daughter was thinking.
“If something hurts or if you’re struggling, don’t hide it. Tell me, understood?”
“……Yes.”
Reportya cast her gaze downward and nodded. Pellens, who had stroked her hair, crouched down to meet her at eye level.
“Reportya, what should we play?”
“Huh?”
This too was a question she’d never heard before.
“Play? You mean… play?”
Reportya, who had never played a day in her life, stammered in confusion.
“Yeah. Let’s play together. Reportya, what do you usually play?”
What do you usually play?
Reportya racked her memory, searching for an answer.
‘…I was busy searching for Family Heirlooms?’
What had she done before becoming a maidservant?
‘…I was busy training and surviving?’
No matter how hard she thought, she could recall no memory of playing—not in childhood, not recently.
“What did you play? Let’s do your favorite game.”
“……I’ve, never, played…….”
Reportya lowered her head, her voice barely a whisper, as though crawling through the words.
“Huh? What did you say?”
“I’ve never played before. Not once…….”
The confession itself felt strangely shameful. Reportya’s pale cheeks flushed crimson.
“You’ve never played before?”
Pellens started to respond in alarm, then caught sight of Reportya’s reddened face and quickly schooled his expression.
He knew she’d grown up alone, without parents. It must have been difficult—she’d had to worry about survival every day.
But shouldn’t every child play together at least once? Pellens clenched his teeth as he imagined Reportya’s days before his adoption into House Creytan. That night, after putting Reportya to sleep, he decided, he would turn Duke Creytan’s study upside down.
What had her father been doing? The thought made Pellens laugh despite his frustration.
“I’m kind of the same.”
“……The same?”
“Yeah. I didn’t play much with Havelian when I was young either, remember? So I don’t have many memories of playing either. Why don’t we play together, Reportya?”
Play together?
‘Is that allowed?’
This was her first time playing with anyone. In the Orphanage, she’d been too busy holding her breath and watching for signs of danger. In the Poor House, she’d spent her energy dodging blows.
And after the High Priest brought her to the dwelling he’d prepared, she’d been consumed with survival.
Playing was something she’d never done in her entire life.
“Okay.”
Play felt almost sinful to Reportya; she nodded with the grim solemnity of one committing to something wicked.
“Then I’ll choose?”
“Yes.”
“Then, let’s see, something with a lot of running around…….”
Pellens tapped his chin as he thought.
“How about a Thief-catching Game?”
Pellens proposed a game he often played with a few of the knights and servants.
“One person plays the thief and others play the knights who chase them down… Hey! Reportya, where are you going! We haven’t started yet!”
But Reportya’s feet were already moving; she bolted without even thinking.
“I’m not the thief!”
“I know! We haven’t started, Reportya!”
For someone who rarely played, Reportya ran remarkably well. Pellens rushed after her in alarm.
Duke Creytan, watching from the study window overlooking the Garden, nodded as he observed the two of them running about with such vigor.
“…They play well.”

* * *

Huff, huff.
“Reportya, you, normally… don’t run like this… but, man…”
Pellens caught his breath, brushing back his hair.
“You really can escape well.”
He carried her under one arm, her legs dangling, as he made his way back.
“Huff, huff… You too… huff, huff… why do you… run so… huff…”
“I’m, well… I’m an adult, after all.”
“The Military Academy… huff… you didn’t even… graduate… huff…”
“A five-year-old runt’s got no say… in this…”
Beneath the blazing sun.
The two siblings were drenched in sweat, breathing hard and fast.
Reportya, caught at Pellens’s side, gasped for breath and glanced up at him.
‘We weren’t seen, were we?’
Startled by the mention of the Thief-catching Game, she’d bolted at full speed without thinking.
Of course, with a child’s body, she couldn’t possibly outrun Pellens, but in that moment of panic—the certainty that she mustn’t be caught—she’d managed to elude him quite skillfully for a good while.
In the end, Pellens used his Aura to seize her.
‘She ran so well… he won’t suspect anything, will he?’
Pellens set her down carefully, then lifted his shirt and wiped the sweat from his face.
‘Using Aura really does make it impossible to escape.’
When she flees next time, should she use a Sleep-inducing Potion? But those are terribly expensive—where would she even get one?
Besides, would a Sleep-inducing Potion even work on someone who uses Aura?
“Stop staring. I know you think I’m handsome.”
Pellens caught the intensity of Reportya’s gaze and let out a light laugh.
Handsome, really…!
‘Well, he is handsome.’
She’d wanted to argue that handsome was an exaggeration, but objectively speaking, Pellens’s face did fall on the attractive side.
Of course, seeing him act so foolishly so often, she hadn’t developed any romantic feelings toward him.
She only felt he was good-looking when he stood quietly with his mouth shut.
Even looking at those muscles stirred not a flutter in her chest. He was always lazy about moving anyway—all she felt was a vague appreciation that he had a decent physique.
“Put your shirt on properly. What are you doing showing off in front of your sister?”
Reportya crossed her short arms firmly, and Pellens hastily pulled his shirt down to straighten his clothes.
“Sorry, Reportya. This is all new to me—having a younger sister.”
“It’s fine.”
“Um, Reportya. If you don’t like the Thief-catching Game, we could do something else?”
“Something… else?”
“Yeah. You ran away because you didn’t like the game, right?”
That wasn’t quite it… but she was curious about what other games might be. Reportya turned her head away, her ears flushed pink.
“What kind of game?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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