The Villainess Duke Lady Hides Her Identity - Chapter 56

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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 56

Had she misspoken?
Reponya, reading the ruined mood, pressed her lips together and searched his expression.
‘It’s really fine, though.’
True, there was a mark, but it didn’t hurt much.
‘I don’t know what to say.’
Reponya faltered. According to her original plan, once she was reunited with him,
‘I waited for you to come get me.’
She’d prepared those words to say, but now they wouldn’t leave her lips.
The plan had succeeded, but looking at that angry face, she couldn’t gauge whether she should still say she’d waited for him to come retrieve her.
Every “angry face” Reponya had witnessed until now had always led to something terrible.
“Come on.”
Fellens shed his outer coat without hesitation. Then he wrapped Reponya in the large garment and gathered her into his arms.
“Let’s get out of here.”
Warmth bloomed against a body that had held only cold. Every sense in her reached toward Fellens, toward his embrace.
Nestled in Fellens’s arms, Reponya leaned her shoulder against him and turned her head. In the Dining Hall, she could see the children clustered together, lost.
It felt as though her five-year-old self was standing somewhere among them.
“Fellens. Wait a moment.”
At Reponya’s call, Fellens stopped.
“You said the Orphanage where the teacher originally wanted to send me was a good place, right?”
At her question, Havelian went ashen, as though someone had pierced his heart.
Reponya, brushing past this lightly, turned to the Duke.
“I hope those children end up there instead. The director here is drowning in illegal gambling—he makes the children work, uses violence if they slip up, takes money to sell them into slavery.”
“…What?”
The Duke’s face drained of color. At the same moment, Fellens’s arms tightened around Reponya.
As Fellens barely swallowed a curse, Havelian muttered that this was no matter for a beating or two and strode back outside.
“So send those children to a different good Orphanage instead.”
Duke Craitan pressed the heel of his hand against his eyes. Veins stood taut around his clenched jaw and neck.
Before answering, the Duke took several long, deep breaths.
“Reponya.”
Duke Craitan lowered his hand from his eyes and gently stroked Reponya’s hair.
“I think I’ve told you this before.”
His large hand came down to brush her face, then covered her eyes.
“Don’t worry. Close your eyes and leave the rest to your father—I’ll take care of it.”
Ah. She remembered.
When Reponya herself had set fire to the Bedroom to escape the threat of the Duke’s retainers.
Duke Craitan, who had rushed into those flames to save her, had spoken the same words then.
She’d been certain then that she was placing her trust in a father who didn’t exist.
“…Yes.”
Now it was different. She still couldn’t accept him as a father, but at least she could acknowledge that his word on this matter was something she could trust.
Something touched her neck as she nodded. When she lowered the Duke’s hand covering her eyes, she saw a necklace.
“Wear it always, Reponya.”
A Homing Stone.
“So you can return to me no matter where you are.”
Return.
To the Craitan Estate, to the Duke’s study, no matter where.
“Mm-hmm.”
“Good, then.”
The moment Reponya nodded, Fellens quickly added,
“Let’s get out of this filthy place.”
Fellens carried Reponya in his arms and moved his long legs forward.
‘…Five years ago, I climbed over the fence and snuck away.’
The feeling was strange.
At a similar time, at the same age, but unlike then, Reponya was leaving through the Orphanage’s entrance held in Fellens’s arms, bold and unafraid.
If only someone had been there to save her like this back then.
“Fellens.”
Reponya opened her lips carefully.
“Thank you for coming to get me.”
Fellens’s footsteps stopped abruptly. He exhaled sharply, his teeth grinding together.
Why. Why like this. What did I say wrong?
“Cotton ball.”
“What?”
“When you say thank you like that, what am I supposed to do.”
…….
“In a situation like this, you’re not supposed to thank me—you should be angry.”
Fellens clenched his fists.
“That way I can apologize to you.”
“I’m really fine—”
“You’re not fine. Reponya.”
Fellens wrapped his small five-year-old sister in a tight embrace.
“This is something that absolutely cannot be fine, Reponya.”
Heat radiated from his body—he must have run desperately hard to get here.
“I’m your guard. I shouldn’t have left you behind. I should have taken you with me.”
“Brother.”
“I failed to protect you.”
Reponya swallowed hard, seeing Fellens’s eyes reddened with blood vessels.
“I can’t lose you twice. I can’t.”
Fellens’s voice trembled as he spoke under his breath.
He knew the old wound was still there—the loss and terror of losing the real princess back then—but he’d never imagined he would feel it again in a moment like this.
Reponya raised her small hand and gently patted Fellens’s head.
Fellens simply held his sister Reponya close, saying nothing.
“Brother, I wasn’t scared at all.”
…….
“Honestly, I was startled at first, but I wasn’t afraid and I didn’t cry.”
Reponya threw her arms around Fellens’s neck.
“Because you’re my guard, I knew you’d come rescue me.”
Reponya giggled, and as warmth and laughter filled the space, Fellens’s trembling gradually stilled.
In the meantime, the Duke brought all the children out of the Orphanage. After moving them a safe distance back, he drew his sword.
A dark Aura heavy with ill intent rippled across the blade.
He drew the Aura up into the sword and swung it with tremendous force.
Crack-crack-crack—! Boom!!!
A shrill sound rang out, like a massive, razor-sharp spear being launched. Wind whirled like a vortex, and a portion of the Orphanage building crumbled neatly to rubble.
‘…He’s insane.’
To wield an Aura-wrapped sword with such devastating effect. It was a completely different technique and power from when Fellens had wielded his Aura last time.
It was as clean as cutting through soft cake.
The ramshackle Orphanage building collapsed. This place was where Reponya’s hell had begun.
If her beginning hadn’t been here, perhaps Reponya would be living a completely different life now.
If she had grown up in a good orphanage, or been adopted into a new family.
If she had never met the Pope.
Looking back at every moment where he’d made the wrong choice, it felt as though he’d cleanly erased the first stain.
“Look there. The Duke demolished the entire building.”
Fellens lifted his head. Fortunately, the redness had already faded from his eyes.
“So destroying buildings runs in the family.”
Fellens laughed weakly, as if at a loss.
“But brother, how did you know to come here?”
“A threat letter arrived.”
“A threat letter?”
“It said if we didn’t come by today, they’d take you and leave.”
“…Who sent it?”
“I don’t know. The moment we saw the letter, all three of us surrounded ourselves with Aura and ran here. That director probably sent it trying to extort money.”
…So if the three men of House of Craitan hadn’t arrived by today, Rudeuum was planning to take Reponya and leave.
‘So that’s why he asked so confidently if I just needed to come here.’
To think someone would send a threat letter to House of Craitan.
But that’s beside the point.
“You came without even knowing who sent it or checking anything?”
“Of course. Where would we have time to check? Cotton ball, if you were here, obviously we had to come.”
“What? A trap? So what.”
“Even if it were a trap, I don’t care. If you say you’re there, I’ll run straight to that spot and check for myself.”
Five-year-old Reponya caught the lingering tremor in his voice and patted the adult Fellens gently.
Havelian, who had been standing back, hurled the battered, unconscious Director into a corner and approached the Duke.
“A messenger bird has arrived. The Knights Order following behind has drawn near.”
…The Knights Order? Surely they weren’t saying House of Craitan’s Knights Order had mobilized now?
Reponya’s head snapped toward both men.
“Fellens.”
The Duke flicked his hand, calling to Fellens.
“Light a signal fire and relay our exact location to the Knights Order. Once they arrive, hand over the children.”
“Why should I do that? Father or my brother can do it. I’m Cottontail’s guard. Don’t you see how tired she is, all grubby and worn?”
At Fellens’s words, both men’s eyes locked at once on Reponya cradled in his arms.
‘Grubby and worn,’ he said.
Well, she hadn’t been able to wash properly, so she had gotten dirty. Reponya’s embarrassed face flushed red.
“Fellens.”
The Duke sighed and called to Fellens again. Fellens twisted his face in annoyance.
Then he bundled up his outer garment and handed Reponya over into Havelian’s arms.
“…Huh?”
Suddenly cradled in Havelian’s arms, Reponya’s eyes went wide.
This isn’t the destination. P-please just put me down.
“Hold her carefully.”
Fellens warned Havelian in a grave tone, unlike his irritation moments before.
“I mean it. If you do anything stupid again, I swear I’ll— huh?”
Havelian, unfamiliar with the task, held Reponya stiffly in his awkward hands and nodded.
“…I understand.”
Fellens clicked his tongue and turned sharply away, as if reluctant.
‘Don’t go! Don’t leave the two of us alone.’
Reponya cried out silently. Her brother didn’t read her heart and walked away without even turning back.
Uncomfortable and restless, Reponya squirmed in Havelian’s embrace, trying to get down.
“Reponya.”
But instead of setting her down, Havelian held her close, his manner awkward, and spoke her name.
That gentle voice was unfamiliar. Her body tensed at the instinctive sense of refusal it stirred.
“I’m… I’m sorry.”

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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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