The Villainess Duke Lady Hides Her Identity - Chapter 71

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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 71

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Time flew swiftly, and the day of the Capital’s Harvest Festival drew near. Reponya had dressed in comfortable clothes and shoes, topped herself with an adorable straw hat to cover her face, and finished preparing her yellow round bag.
Buddy fussed over the cute rabbit straw hat, offering Reponya one reminder after another.
“Young lady. You must never walk alone, and you have to come back before the sun sets. Understood?”
“Yes. I understand.”
“Don’t take paths where there are too few people. Always stick to safe streets—the ones crowded with people. You understand?”
“Yes! Be careful of people, be careful of carriages, be careful of pickpockets.”
When Reponya recited the warnings she’d been hearing all night—caution, caution, caution—Buddy laughed as if pleased.
“If a stranger offers you delicious food and tries to lead you away, you mustn’t follow.”
“No! I won’t! I don’t like it! Don’t do that!”
Reponya crossed her arms in an X-mark and shouted the way Becky had taught her, and Becky nodded with satisfaction.
“If you get lost, find the Capital Guard and ask them to take you to the Craitan Estate. Is that clear?”
“Yes. I am Reponya Craitan. My family is Duke Craitan, Havelian, and Fellens. Please take me to the Duke Craitan’s Estate.”
As Reponya recited her memorized lines, both handmaidens looked satisfied.
“Perfect. Absolutely perfect.”
To Reponya’s eyes, of course, these two handmaidens looked endearingly naive for thinking such measures could prevent a kidnapping.
“Should we go along with you as well?”
“The young lady needs someone to attend to her.”
“No. I’m going to have fun. Wait here.”
These separation-anxious maids were something else.
When Reponya shook her head firmly, Buddy and Becky’s faces fell.
“I’d like to tuck my head into your bag, young lady. Why is it so small? Please, let me squeeze in there.”
As Reponya held the yellow round bag at her side and Buddy grunted while trying to compress herself to fit inside, there came a knock.
Knock, knock.
“Ah. They’re here.”
Reponya dashed over. She rose on her toes and clicked the door open, and there stood Fellens and Havelian before her.
“Oh. Today it’s a rabbit instead of a cotton ball?”
Fellens reached over and gently tapped the rabbit ears attached to the straw hat, smiling.
“Reponya. Are you ready? Billemen said he’d arrived, so we came to pick you up.”
“Yes! I’m all ready.”
“You look incredibly cute today. It suits you perfectly.”
“We’ll have to keep a close eye on you so the cotton ball doesn’t blow away in the wind.”
Both brothers extended their hands to Reponya simultaneously. She grasped both hands at once, having grown quite accustomed to this by now.
“Buddy, Becky! I’m going!”
“Have a good time, young lady.”
“Please be careful!”
The two brothers of House of Craitan followed as her escort, yet Reponya couldn’t fathom why Buddy and Becky worried so much.
“Reponya. Does Billemen know that we’re going out together today?”
“Huh? Do I need to tell him? I figured he’d naturally know that my brothers are coming as my escort, so I didn’t mention it.”
Since this was her first time making plans with a friend and going out like this, she hadn’t even thought to consider such basic etiquette.
“I see.”
Fellens chuckled softly.
“Well done. This should be entertaining.”
“Brother. Could it be… I should have told Rudeuum in advance?”
Reponya’s eyes wavered.
“No. There’s no way, Reponya.”
Havelian hurriedly shook his head from beside her.
“He should have thought it through and figured it out on his own, without you having to tell him.”
The answer was so decisive that Reponya couldn’t argue and simply nodded.
As they descended the stairs, Rudeuum appeared in the entrance hall, waiting to serve as her escort.
His expression was strangely tense—perhaps from nerves about going out on an outing.
His uniform, more carefully groomed than when he usually came for lessons, was sharp and suited him well.
Since arriving at the Estate, this was Reponya’s second time going out.
The last time had been to report to the Pope, but today was different.
Today was just about making plans with a friend and going out to have fun.
“Rudeuum!”
The voice calling Rudeuum’s name carried such unmistakable joy that he instinctively looked up at the sound.
The moment he spotted Reponya, his expression softened. It was like the sweetness and rich, buttery warmth of the Mont Blanc they’d shared during class last time—a sensation that bloomed across his face in an instant.
But it was short-lived.
“…What.”
The instant Rudeuum caught sight of Havelian and Fellens trailing behind Reponya, his face crumpled like a stale, dry cookie—all the moisture gone.
Seeing the stark difference, Fellens burst into laughter.
“Ha! Hahaha! Looks like you got quite a shock.”
“Duke Craitan. We’re meant to accompany Reponya as her escort on this outing. She’s still young, and she’s never been out alone before.”
Havelian held back his amusement as he spoke, his tone suggesting understanding.
‘I should have told him beforehand.’
From his reaction, it was obvious. Reponya descended the stairs with careful steps, sensing the awkwardness, and positioned herself before Rudeuum.
“I should have mentioned it. I thought going out with them was just the normal thing to do, so I didn’t say anything. I’m sorry.”
“…It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. If having those two there means you’re safer, then that’s for the best.”
Rudeuum glanced once at the straw hat with rabbit ears bouncing on her head, then turned his gaze away.
“But.”
“Hmm?”
“The escort duty is theirs. The one you’re supposed to have fun with is me. Don’t get that confused.”
Rudeuum took Reponya’s hand and guided her to link her arm through his, the way one might escort a companion.
“Okay!”
Reponya nodded readily. Her gaze then shifted to the brooch fastened to Rudeuum’s uniform.
‘That’s….’
A brooch set with a green gemstone.
It was the very green gemstone that Reponya and Rudeuum had split between them.
“What are you—oh.”
Rudeuum caught on to where her eyes were looking and let out a soft laugh.
“I’ve been waiting this whole time for you to call me using it, but you never did.”
Of course not. She’d never taken it out since she’d put it away in her jewel box!
To think he’d been wearing it like this the whole time.
Rudeuum chuckled lightly and turned his head halfway back to look at the two brothers.
“You two just escort from behind.”
With that brief remark, Rudeuum led Reponya toward the carriage.
Behind them, Havelian and Fellens followed with amused smiles, trailing the two children.

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“Wow.”
The Harvest Festival in the Capital was far more splendid than she’d imagined. For one thing, there were simply far too many people.
Now she understood why, back when she was younger, the Pope had kept her locked away during this season.
With hundreds of people flowing in and out of the Capital each day, if someone had tried to slip away unnoticed, they would’ve been nearly impossible to find.
‘I should have tried to escape back then, even if I was told not to.’
If she had, she might have run away at a younger age and been living an entirely different life by now.
‘…But then I would never have ended up at the Craitan Estate like this.’
Reponya glanced over at Rudeuum walking beside her, then back at Havelian and Fellens following behind.
If she’d escaped then, she wouldn’t have grown up at the Pope’s side—but she also wouldn’t be feeling this way now.
Had she ever experienced a moment in life so peaceful, so genuinely joyful?
“Reponya. Do you want to eat that?”
“Hmm?”
“You’ve been staring at it for a while now.”
She turned to look where Rudeuum was pointing. A stall selling thin crepes came into view.
She’d only been gazing into empty space, but it seemed her line of sight had happened to land on the shop.
“It’s fine, I don’t—”
“Actually, that sandwich we shared last time. That taste we had together then—no matter what I do, I can’t forget it.”
If he meant a sandwich they’d shared, he was talking about that night when Rudeuum had come looking for Reponya at the Orphanage.
“I’ve tried gathering similar ingredients and making one myself, I’ve tried making even more delicious sandwiches, but—no matter how many times I’ve bought the exact same sandwich from that place—I just can’t recreate that flavor.”
Had that sandwich really tasted that good? Of course, Reponya, who’d gone days without eating, remembered it tasting absolutely delicious even now.
But Rudeuum felt the same way?
“That’s why I told you it was a memory we both shared.”
Rudeuum whispered so that the two brothers escorting from behind wouldn’t hear.
“If I eat those hotcakes with you here today, will I feel that same unforgettable taste again?”
“…….”
“And will that become a memory for both of us?”
Rudeuum asked, genuine curiosity lighting his eyes.
A child without any real memories to speak of. Rudeuum resembled Reponya.
Reponya held his gaze for a moment, then turned away.
“Then we’ll just have to eat them again!”

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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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