The Villainess Duke Lady Hides Her Identity - Chapter 38

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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 38

Reponya’s mind spun ceaselessly.
Now that things had come to this, he would surely ask how she knew him—but what on earth was she supposed to say?
That they’d grown close after he snuck into her bedchamber twice in the night?
‘He’ll think I’m a spy sent by the Billemen House.’
Naturally, she’d assumed he was some servant or knight’s spawn working in the Craiton Duke Residence.
Because an outsider couldn’t simply wander in and out of the Craiton Duke Residence with two Aura Masters standing guard!
‘How on earth did he even get into the mansion?’
If this was real, wasn’t it terribly serious? The security wasn’t lax, yet a head of another house came and went as he pleased—it was unthinkable.
Reponya knitted her brow earnestly.
‘…Should I learn how?’
She resolved seriously that she’d have to ask him later exactly how he’d managed to slip in and out undetected.
‘But why is he doing all this for me?’
He was the one who reported her first, and he’d come to see her twice—as if that weren’t enough, he even stroked her hair at the end and told her to stay well.
On top of that, he’d sent her a Succession Celebration Party invitation before anyone else in the empire, and now he’d rushed over first thing to greet her with a kiss to the back of her hand.
‘Does he… like me?’
Reponya paused mid-thought and shook her head. It was an absurd idea.
They’d never met privately before, and they barely knew each other—such a thing couldn’t happen.
Besides, he was the youngest Duke in the realm, the Billemen Duke, whom everyone expected great things from.
‘Then what on earth is it?’
It was precisely as Reponya sank into contemplation that the Craiton Duke transferred her from his arms to Phelence, then strode forward toward Rudeom.
“Now that you’ve become head of your house, I don’t think even the Billemen Duke would wish to be treated as a child—so I’ll address you as Duke. Should you feel afraid, just say so now and I’ll have warm milk brought and read you a bedtime story.”
“Craiton Duke. Your appearance may be young, but the Duke within you has surely aged as well—if you find this taxing, do tell. I’ll have the steward bring you a chair so you might enjoy the party in comfort.”
Whoosh.
Watching from behind, Reponya held her breath at the Craiton Duke’s icy words, then trembled at Rudeom’s boldly sharp reply.
‘What a chilling exchange.’
Fortunately, the Craiton Duke seemed to relish such audacity, for he let out a light laugh.
“You’re not acquainted with my daughter, yet you sent her an invitation before anyone else and came to greet her like this. Why is that? My daughter says she knows the Billemen Duke not at all.”
“Ah.”
Rudeom glanced at Reponya over his shoulder—as if to ask, ‘You said you didn’t know me?’
She’d never told him he was the Billemen Duke, so how could he possibly know?
Reponya countered silently—and as if he’d read her very thoughts, Rudeom chuckled lightly.
“Strangers, yes. That’s right. Absolute strangers, you and I.”
“Then—”
“But is there anyone in the empire who doesn’t know of the Craiton House, guardian of the realm?”
“…I’ve no wish to play word games.”
“Nor do I, truly. I simply heard through the grapevine that a new lady had been adopted into the Craiton House.”
At the Craiton Duke’s sharp vigilance, Rudeom broke into a grin.
“And yet—that hardly explains why I sent the invitation to your daughter first.”
“The invitation was sent to the lady because this party cannot proceed properly without her attendance.”
Rudeom lowered his voice and glanced around at those nearby. Noting his deference to the surrounding nobility, the Craiton Duke dropped his own voice further.
“You mean to say that had my daughter refused to attend, the Succession Celebration Party would never have been held at all?”
“Precisely.”
Wait, really?
Reponya, listening to this exchange from nearby, felt a chill run through her. For she had initially considered not attending the Succession Celebration Party at all!
‘I almost ruined the party?’
Reponya’s eyes darted as she strained to catch every word of the exchange between Rudeom and the Craiton Duke.
“Everyone knows there’s someone who disapproves of my succession to the dukedom.”
Rudeom’s explanation was simple—yet with those few words alone, the Craiton Duke nodded as if he’d grasped the full picture.
“Indeed.”
Having learned the lay of noble factions from the Pope and heard tales of the Billemen House, Reponya understood as well.
‘He’s talking about the Billemen Duchess Dowager.’
It was gossip that had spread through High Society.
For reasons unknown, the once-illustrious Billemen House now had only the previous Duke’s grandson—a young prince—and the previous Duchess, the Billemen Duchess Dowager, remaining.
Outwardly, they seemed like a close-knit family, but the Billemen Duchess Dowager harbored no affection for her grandson, Rudeom Billemen.
The Billemen Duchess Dowager served as regent for the young grandchild while greedily expanding her own influence, neglecting the grandson in her care.
But now that Rudeom had formally inherited the ducal seat, bypassing Billemen Duchess Dowager, the two of them found themselves in the throes of open rivalry for power.
“This party announces to all of High Society that I have become the Billemen Duke.”
Rudeom spoke quietly—a wholly different face from the one he’d worn when seeking out Reponya. The aristocrat’s mask had fallen into place.
From those words alone, Craiton Duke grasped the situation immediately.
“You invited my daughter to keep the party from being cancelled?”
This party was Rudeom’s formal announcement of his ascension to the Billemen dukedom.
Which meant Billemen Duchess Dowager would move heaven and earth to cancel it.
‘The one aristocrat she cannot pressure as she pleases—’
Craiton House.
“We are honored to welcome Craiton House as our guest.”
Rudeom accepted Craiton Duke’s insinuation with perfect courtesy.
‘So that’s why he sent me the invitation first. If I attend, the party proceeds. If I decline, there’s no need to send invitations to the other nobles at all.’
Everything had its rational design.
“If that were the case, you could just as easily have invited my son or myself instead of my daughter.”
At Craiton Duke’s words, Rudeom screwed up his face as though he’d heard something ridiculous.
“If I’d sent the invitation to the Young Lord or the Duke first, would you even have answered? I suspect you’d have dismissed it as suspicious.”
“Hmm.”
Craiton Duke did not deny it. Even Phelence, who held Reponya in his arms, nodded in agreement. ‘That’s fair.’
“Rumors surfaced that the Lady was spotted at a curiosity shop with Craiton House’s second son, so I thought she’d soon be looking for an appropriate venue to make her public debut. Am I wrong?”
Rudeom’s prediction was chillingly accurate.
“So I invited more nobles than I’d originally planned, rushed through my speech, and then hurried to greet the Lady to draw all eyes toward her. Was it insufficient?”
So that was the reason for that too.
“I decided this Succession Celebration Party would be her official debut. The least I could do was make it memorable.”
Craiton Duke stood with his arms crossed, regarding Rudeom coolly from above.
Rudeom met his gaze without flinching, unafraid of what might follow.
He was fearless to an alarming degree.
‘With that much audacity, it’s no wonder he’d think twice about sneaking into a mansion with two Aura Masters.’
After a long moment of study, Craiton Duke opened his lips.
“It seems there was a misunderstanding. I apologize. Congratulations on your formal succession to the dukedom, Duke of Billemen.”

* * *

After that, the party was a pleasure. Rudeom excused himself to greet the assembled nobles, while Craiton Duke and Phelence held Reponya aloft whenever an aristocrat approached to pay their respects.
“So this is the Lady we’ve all heard such rumors about. A true pleasure to meet you.”
“What rumors have you heard?”
Craiton Duke clamped his hands over Reponya’s ears.
…Though it was useless, since she could read lips.
“Ah, well, er, that you are, um, beautiful and adorable, my lady.”
“I see. If it were slander, I’d planned to have the wretch who spread such lies arrested, tear out his lying tongue, and end him where he stood. Good thing that won’t be necessary.”
So that was the sort of thing he said in places where she couldn’t hear.
Craiton Duke removed his hands from Reponya’s ears.
“A-ah, yes. Um. Yes.”
“She’s adorable, isn’t she?”
“…Pardon?”
“I said, isn’t she adorable?”
“O-oh, yes. Yes, yes. She is, she is… yes.”
He wasn’t content merely to receive greetings—he actively brainwashed each visitor into affirming Reponya’s cuteness.
“I pay my respects to Young Lord Phelence of Craiton House. I was assisted by the Young Lord during my time at the Academy—”
“Fluffball… no, you’ve greeted Reponya?”
“Pardon?”
“You should greet my sister first. Don’t you see my sister?”
He also forced the arriving nobles to pay their respects to her first.
‘These tyrants.’
But in truth, it was second nature to both Craiton Duke and Phelence.
They had never once bent the knee to anyone.
In fact, no one dared to challenge them, no matter how absurd or inexplicable their demands might be.
More precisely, there existed no one in a position to challenge them.
‘This is exhausting.’
Drawing this much attention wore on her; even breathing felt like labor.
But she could not tarnish the reputation of Craiton House, so she maintained party decorum, keeping her spine perfectly straight.
‘So this is where Fretes’s lessons finally pay off.’
There had been times when the Pope assigned him to infiltrate High Society gatherings, and he’d watched noble ladies looking subtly exhausted, thinking to himself how they seemed oblivious to their own luxury.
‘You really do see only what you know.’
If he’d understood how taxing it all was back then, he would have brought them refreshments.
‘I should have followed when Craiton Duke said he’d step out for a moment.’
Had he known Phelence would keep him cornered like this for so long, he would have gone.
Reponya exhaled a long breath.
‘Hmm?’
Something flickered across the Terrace on the opposite side.
‘Is that the Silver Wolf?’
The shape of the Silver Wolf became visible—the very beast Rudeom had ridden to find Reponya’s bedchamber.

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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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