The Villainess Duke Lady Hides Her Identity - Chapter 63

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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 63

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Late into the night.
The lamp in Duke Craitan’s study burned on without dimming. He sat motionless, staring through the documents Havelian had placed before him as if willing them to reveal their secrets.
It was one of the ledgers brought back from the Orphanage.
“…Father.”
Havelian, standing before him, opened his lips with a trembling voice. At the call, the Duke’s gaze never lifted from the papers in his hands.
Then, without so much as a knock, the study door swung open and Fellens stepped inside.
“I watched Pouffy fall asleep and finished a patrol of the perimeter.”
Fellens dropped onto the sofa and undid several buttons, sweeping his hair back from his face.
“And?”
Fellens exhaled heavily and spoke.
“The names of that couple—the ones who supposedly took away the missing sibling—appeared in the ledger discovered at the Orphanage?”
“…Yes. Maya and Tom.”
Havelian spoke as if grinding the names between his teeth.
The day of that carriage accident.
Those names had never left his memory for a single moment after learning, through the pursuit team, that someone had picked up his sister.
The couple had apparently boasted to others that they would sell the child they’d found to a foreign merchant house or trading guild.
Afterward, the child in the couple’s care suddenly vanished, and the pair spent weeks drowning themselves in drink on their newfound fortune, until death claimed them both.
No one knew that the child was the Duke’s true lost daughter.
“The money they claimed to have acquired—50 Gold.”
Havelian’s fists clenched. His eyes blazed red, and a ringing sound filled his ears as anger surged through him.
The couple who had picked up his sister and sold her received merely 50 Gold.
They had even bragged that it was a generous sum.
If they had brought her to the House instead, he would have granted them far greater reward.
He could not count how many times he had cursed and resented the long-dead couple.
That was why he had investigated every Slave Merchant Guild and trading company dealing with foreign lands—all without success.
Or so he had believed.
“In the ledger discovered at the Orphanage, Fellens—there it is. An entry showing 50 Gold paid to that couple, Maya and Tom.”
Before Havelian’s words had finished, Duke Craitan thrust the documents toward Fellens.
Fellens, who had been sitting with his feet propped on the low table, stood and examined the offered papers.
April—the month the couple had sold the child and boasted of their newfound fortune.
There it was in the ledger: an entry from that very April, recording the purchase of a child for 50 Gold at the Orphanage.
“She was sold to the Orphanage? Unbelievable.”
Fellens threw the documents down onto the desk with a gesture of disbelief.
“When did the Empire’s Orphanage become a place to buy and sell children? When did this happen? No wonder we couldn’t find her even after more than a decade. We were investigating Slave Merchant Guilds and trading companies crossing foreign borders—of course we never found her.”
Fellens clenched his fists, his body tensing as if to storm down to the basement and confront the Director this very moment.
“Fellens.”
Havelian caught his arm.
“I’ve already interrogated the Director myself.”
Hearing this, Fellens realized there was nothing more to be done now and stopped in his tracks.
“The Director hasn’t been in charge of the Orphanage very long. He seemed indifferent to its actual operation—lost in gambling debts, I’d say. He treated the Orphanage less like an institution and more like a purse to fund his addiction.”
“You mean my sister was there? And Pouffy… Reponya was there too? Damn it.”
At Havelian’s words, Fellens cursed under his breath, his fists tightening. His Aura flared and crackled around him as if he wanted nothing more than to drag the Director from his cell and throttle the life from him.
“The one who bought the lost sibling for 50 Gold appears to have been the current Director’s father. He was the one running the Orphanage continuously until his death two years ago. …Though the operation methods haven’t changed much, I’m afraid.”
Havelian tapped Fellens’ shoulder sharply, signaling him to rein in his Aura.
The Duke, who had been absently fiddling with his cigar case, set it down with a soft click and looked up.
“I shall handle this matter. The rest of you are to refrain from involvement for now. Should any additional information surface, I will see it shared.”
“But we were the ones who discovered Maya and Tom’s names in the ledger. Why should you take this alone, Father?”
“Havelian.”
Duke Craitan’s voice carried a note of reproval as he spoke his name.
“I have no intention of telling Reponya that a trace of this child has been found.”
Havelian flinched at the decisive declaration.
“Finding a trace does not necessarily increase the probability that she is alive. If Reponya learns of this, it will only multiply her distress—and she is already overwhelmed with anxiety as it is. I won’t burden her with such turmoil, Havelian.”
“……….”
“But if we both pursue it at the same time, that sharp-eyed child will catch on. I don’t want us in that position.”
“…I understand what you mean.”
This time, Havelian acquiesced and withdrew. Watching him yield so readily, Duke Craitan tapped the back of his son’s hand twice in gratitude.
“Havelian. I feel the same way.”
“Sir?”
“I too wish I could find that child’s remains and give her a proper burial in our family vault, then bring everyone home safely. That is all I want as well.”
With Duke Craitan’s words, silence fell over the study.
The three men stared into different voids.
Fellens, gnawing at his lip in frustration, suddenly flopped onto the sofa and propped his feet on the table.
“So you’ll handle that on your own, Father.”
……
“Starting tomorrow, that’s what I mean. Billemen and Reponya taking lessons together. And you actually agreed to let him come to our Estate three times a week for classes?”
“Yes.”
The moment Rudeuum and Reponya’s names came up, Duke Craitan’s expression hardened in a different direction from before.
Unable to refuse Reponya’s request, the Duke had sent a letter to Rudeuum Billemen.
He’d written that since Reponya wished to study together and the girl was still too young to leave the Estate, Rudeuum would need to visit Craitan Estate in person three times a week, arriving early in the morning for their joint lessons.
Recently, every high-ranking noble in the Capital hoped to meet with Rudeuum, but he’d been turning them all down, claiming he was too busy.
So the Duke had expected him to refuse a request that demanded he visit in person three times a week, and at an early hour no less.
But less than half a day after sending the letter, a reply arrived.
It was a cheerful affirmation—he could begin lessons tomorrow, or even wait at the Estate’s gates the evening before if that were preferable.
Duke Craitan had torn that reply to shreds.
And the long-awaited first lesson was tomorrow.
“Why does she have to pick him of all people? No—why does he keep pursuing her? They don’t even know each other, so why—”
The Duke muttered this with his chin resting on his hand, dead serious.
Of course, Reponya, still only five years old, needed friends. But the thought of her becoming entangled with Rudeuum Billemen, who stood at the center of such heated controversy, felt nothing short of bewildering.
Some nobles might see two children simply getting along as a political alliance, feel threatened, and move to harm them.
Or it was possible Rudeuum Billemen was approaching Reponya for some political reason of his own.
“There’s no helping it.”
The Duke murmured this as a final thought.
“Reponya is blameless. If anyone is guilty, it’s a world full of nobles who exploit children for politics.”
At the Duke’s murmur, Havelian nodded seriously.
“We can’t ask Reponya to hold back when she’s done nothing wrong. Let her do as she wishes.”
If she wants to befriend someone, let her be friends. If she wants to play with someone, let her play.
“We’ll keep watch on our end.”
Duke Craitan fixed both Havelian and Fellens with a grave expression, as though issuing a classified operation order.
“No idle chatter during the lesson. We conduct the class cleanly and call it done.”
Havelian spoke with quiet assurance, signaling he’d already mapped out that much.
“I’ll keep my eyes on Reponya and step in the moment anything seems suspicious.”
At the two brothers’ confident answers, the Duke nodded.

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The next day arrived.
Just as Duke Craitan had written in his letter, Rudeuum visited Craitan Estate very early in the morning.
Though Reponya only appeared in the reception room after she’d finished her breakfast.
“Thank you for inviting me. I thought it’d be rude to come empty-handed on a first visit, so I brought a gift.”
And Rudeuum had arrived bearing a flower bouquet nearly as large as Reponya herself.
“…Wow.”
Reponya accepted the enormous bouquet and her mouth fell open.
The three men of House of Craitan exchanged glances.
From the moment Rudeuum appeared, alarm bells began to ring urgently in their minds.

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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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