The Villainess Duke Lady Hides Her Identity - Chapter 70

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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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Episode 70

In the end, Reponya bought every dress. The maids emptied the Dress Room of its previous contents and filled it with the new purchases.
‘Is this really all right?’
Duke Craitan declared that since this was the first time Reponya had ever asked for anything, he would designate it as a commemorative day for the House, then got dragged off by his secretary to return to work.
Apparently he was kept busy with the responsibility of escorting the royal procession at the upcoming Harvest Festival in the Capital.
While the maids were emptying and refilling the Dress Room, Buddy approached.
“My lady. Lord Billemen has arrived.”
“Right, it’s a lesson day today.”
Reponya rose to greet Rudeuum. As she made her way to the Main Hall, she caught sight of Rudeuum entering through the foyer.
“Rudeuum.”
Rudeuum paused mid-step and lifted his gaze toward the stairs at the sound of her voice.
When their eyes met, Reponya descended the stairs in one fluid motion.
“…Oh.”
Rudeuum stared at her in a daze, not moving an inch until she reached him.
“Why are you standing there like an idiot?”
“It’s a dress I’ve never seen before. …Do you have an outing planned?”
The ornate design and elaborate embellishments were so different from the indoor dresses she normally wore that he seemed startled.
“No. The new dresses I had made arrived this morning, so I put one on, but it’s so comfortable I haven’t changed out of it yet.”
“Oh. …Because it’s comfortable.”
“Yes. What do you think? Does it suit me? It seems a bit much, but the Duke and my brothers said it looked good on me. Though I’m not sure it really does.”
“It suits you perfectly.”
Rudeuum answered urgently, almost before she’d finished speaking.
The powder that made the dress glimmer as though it had captured sunlight held his eyes fast.
“Really? You’re not just saying that?”
Rudeuum nodded at her question.
Sensing that his sincerity hadn’t quite come through, he stared directly at Reponya and murmured again for emphasis.
“You really do look beautiful. Ponya.”
The way he repeated it twice suggested he meant it.
“I’m glad I asked for them. Thank you.”
Reponya nodded contentedly and headed with Rudeuum toward the Education Room, where Havelian was waiting.
Rudeuum followed stiffly behind her, moving with the peculiar creaking gait of a wooden puppet.
“The Harvest Festival in the Capital is coming up soon. The Duke seems busy with the royal escort, but what about you?”
“…We did receive a request.”
As she drew him into easy conversation, Reponya noticed that Rudeuum’s limbs, which had been moving awkwardly just moments before, began to relax and settle into a natural rhythm.
“But I refused it.”
“Why? Isn’t a royal escort supposed to be an honor to the House?”
“Right now I’m too busy dealing with assassins following me to protect the royal family from other assassins. Since I’m the target, if I go, I’d only drag the royal family into danger.”
So the assassins were still hounding him. And this was happening even as Rudeuum was gaining firmer footing.
“Have you talked to the Billemen Countess?”
“She left the Estate a while ago to avoid me. She said she’d be staying at a Villa outside the Capital.”
Apparently she’d concluded that with Rudeuum now firmly establishing his position, there was nothing more she could accomplish within the Billemen Estate in the Capital.
Reponya gazed at Rudeuum with sympathy.
‘I should tell Fellens to teach him Swordsmanship more effectively.’
Rudeuum, as the student, couldn’t bring it up himself.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“If I say I’m hurt, will you treat me again?”
Rudeuum’s eyes gleamed with hope. Instead of answering, Reponya tilted her head.
“Me? I’m not a doctor.”
“But you treated me last time.”
“That was because we couldn’t call for a doctor then. Our Estate has a skilled physician who comes running whenever we call.”
“…Oh. So you’re saying you’ll call a doctor instead of treating me yourself?”
“That’s right.”
Rudeuum turned away, his interest visibly dampened. She didn’t understand why he had that reaction—surely being treated by someone with proper medical training was preferable.
‘Does he not trust physicians?’
Thinking back on the behavior of the physician at the Billemen Estate, she supposed that was possible.
“Ponya. What will you be doing during the Harvest Festival in the Capital?”
“There’s nothing special planned. The Duke will be busy with escort duties, so I imagine I’ll spend the day as usual—with Havelian and Fellens.”
“You’re not going to see the Harvest Festival?”
“Mm.”
Reponya swept her chin thoughtfully.
“Too many people, too chaotic. Annoying.”
A five-year-old girl shook her head as if she’d grasped the entirety of the world.
“You could see all the grains and fruits brought up from the regions and buy whatever you wanted.”
“What would I do with them?”
Besides, the head cook would purchase all the necessary ingredients directly anyway.
‘…I want apple pie.’
Thinking of grains and fruits, her mind drifted naturally to luscious apples, and from there to apple pie.
She’d have to ask Havelian to relay an order to the head cook once they reached the Education Room.
“It’s similar to a festival, so each region will have its famous dishes for sale everywhere.”
“Yeah, it’s fine. Our head cook’s food tastes better than any regional specialty anyway.”
Regional delicacies she could eat even after being cast out, but the dishes prepared by the head cook in Craitan Estate—those she would never taste again once disowned.
So she had to eat them as many times as possible while she still could.
“Play with me instead.”
“Huh?”
At Rudeuum’s murmur, Reponya stopped dead in her tracks.
“I’ve never actually seen the Capital’s Harvest Festival myself. I had no one to go with.”
“Oh.”
Reponya at least had siblings. Havelian and Fellens would be there with her.
But Rudeuum?
Rudeuum was alone.
Outside, the Harvest Festival buzzed with excitement, everyone laughing and joyful, while he remained trapped quietly inside the Estate, counting down the hours until it ended.
It was something Reponya had already experienced well during her time in the accommodations the Pope had arranged.
“On that day, will you play with me? Ponya.”
Rudeuum too must find it hard to endure that time alone.
“…All right.”
Reponya reached out and clasped Rudeuum’s hand. He stared at the hand suddenly holding his, momentarily frozen.
“Rudeuum. When the Capital’s Harvest Festival comes, let’s play together. Let’s see the grains and fruits brought from the regions, buy some things, and eat all the famous regional dishes.”
As Reponya spoke, she rose up on her toes to pat his shoulder. At the warmth of her soothing hand, Rudeuum nodded.
“Yeah. …For sure.”
“Okay.”
“For sure. Just you and me.”
He really must want to escape the Estate and play with someone.
‘He only has me as a friend after all.’
Reponya hooked her pinky with his, sealing the promise.
By then, they had arrived at the Education Room.
Reponya opened the door and stepped inside, calling out loudly.
“Havelian! I want apple pie!”
After asking directly for something this morning and seeing how easily the request was granted, saying she wanted apple pie came out without hesitation.
A day when she could boldly demand what she wanted—she’d never imagined such a thing was possible.
“What? Our youngest wants apple pie? I must tell the head cook at once.”
Havelian summoned his servant and ordered the head cook to prepare apple pie for Reponya immediately.
Havelian glanced sideways at Rudeuum and cleared his throat.
“If you’d like some dessert as well, name it. I’ll have it conveyed to the head cook.”
“…What?”
“After all, you are our guest.”
“Oh. …Then I’ll have Mont Blanc.”
Rudeuum deliberated only briefly before ordering a dessert with precise knowledge of his own taste.
“It would be nice if you’d both just choose the same thing.”
Havelian clicked his tongue even as he relayed the order to the head cook to prepare both Mont Blanc and apple pie.
Watching this, Reponya whispered near Rudeuum’s ear.
“Havelian must really like you. He says those things, but he’s still getting your dessert for you. He was the same way with me at first.”
“…Yeah.”
“So don’t be too startled or hurt by Havelian’s actions.”
Rudeuum glanced at Havelian. In the meantime, Havelian was seriously contemplating the fact that he hadn’t arranged tea to accompany the apple pie.
“…If he’d acted this way at the military academy, they wouldn’t have called him an emotionless killing machine of an instructor.”
“Huh? Rudeuum, what did you say?”
Reponya, who hadn’t been listening properly while singing the Apple Pie song, asked him to repeat himself. Rudeuum shook his head after glancing at Havelian.
“No. He said it’s not something he’d be shocked or hurt by—something that trivial.”
Rudeuum fell silent, pressing his lips firmly together.

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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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