You Said I Was a Persecuted, Terminally Ill Grand Duchess? - Chapter 16

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 16

“Gasp!”

“Oh my!”

Before I could even shout anything, the wooden door slowly opened with an ominous sound.

In front of it stood Garnet, holding a tray in one hand and a doorknob in the other, ready to rush in urgently.

Lia beside her also had her mouth agape, her eyes filled with confusion.

“My lady! You’re safe!”

“Of, of course. I was just dozing off and missed the timing to respond…”

I jumped up and shot toward them like a bullet.

Only then did Garnet, confirming I was safe, sheepishly lower the hand holding the doorknob and apologize.

“I thought you might be in danger and lost my reason without realizing it… I’m sorry, my lady!”

Garnet was almost on the verge of tears.

I hurriedly took another step toward her and waved my hands dismissively.

Then I grabbed Garnet’s hands and examined them thoroughly while speaking.

“It’s fine! Haha. The doorknob is quite old. This worked out well actually. We should replace it with a new one. Are you hurt anywhere? Did wood splinters fly or thorns get stuck… That would be terrible.”

“My lady…!”

The maids looked deeply moved.

But they didn’t know this.

In fact, my grand gestures were desperate attempts to divert their attention from Ternox…

While everyone was caught up in soft sentiments, I sneakily glanced back at the table.

But Ternox was still sitting there, so brazenly in that same spot!

‘Crazy dragon! Are you trying to kill us both?’

Before I knew it, my evaluation of him had reached ‘crazy dragon.’

Regardless, Garnet, unaware of the true situation, spoke with a voice moist with emotion.

“I’ve fallen in love with my lady’s generous heart all over again. Thank you so much. And I’m fine. What’s more important is my lady’s meal.”

“Today’s menu includes potato stew that you really love, my lady! You must eat it before it gets cold!”

Garnet and Lia, clearly moved, spoke almost like firing a machine gun.

To think they could speak so rapidly.

At this point, it was amazing.

Is that the power of love?

Having that love directed at me was both burdensome and heartwarming.

‘Right. The maid team will at least… listen to me.’

In my previous life, I often took the blame alone or was misunderstood for things that weren’t my fault.

Maybe because of that, I had unconsciously shrunk back.

I gathered my courage and took a step back.

Into that empty space, Garnet and Lia entered the cottage with gentle movements, carrying their trays.

“…Huh?”

“My lady, please sit down. You must be hungry?”

Then they began placing food on the table without any particular reaction.

Even though a person they’d never seen before—actually a dragon—was sitting right there!

As my eyes widened, Ternox crossed his arms and chuckled.

[Are you stupid? I’m a dragon, you know?]

Judging by the maids’ behavior, it seemed his voice was only audible to me.

“Tsk…”

Damn. Invisibility?

He really became a transparent dragon.

How nice for you to fulfill your childhood wish.

I grumbled inwardly and trudged to the table with a somewhat deflated feeling.

The meal menu, which had doubled since the first day, was no longer surprising.

As I took a large spoonful of the still-steaming potato stew, my eyes met with Lia, who was standing quietly across from me.

Lia smiled gently once and spoke as if remembering something.

“Come to think of it, the territory festival is coming soon.”

“Festival?”

“Yes. Celeste holds a small spring welcoming festival around this time every year.”

Although the cold weather was still continuing, she said that after a certain date, it would become warm as if by magic and spring would arrive.

It seemed like a concept similar to the first day of spring in Korea.

Garnet added that Celeste had a tradition of holding events around this time, hoping for spring to come quickly.

‘In other words, it’s a spring welcoming festival.’

…Just hearing about it sounds interesting!

Garnet smiled when she noticed the life returning to my eyes, which had been like a rotten pollack.

“It sounds fun, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, I actually didn’t even know there was a village. Of course, since this is where people live, there naturally would be one.”

“That’s true. My lady has stayed only in the cottage since coming here… You’ve never even seen the village. It must be frustrating.”

Huh, I wasn’t exactly saying it was frustrating.

Even after being possessed, my homebody nature didn’t seem to go anywhere.

Maybe what I enjoyed as a comfortable recuperation looked like confinement to others.

But anyway, a festival in the romance fantasy world that I had only read about in text and imagined!

Who wouldn’t want to go see it!

As my cheeks twitched with anticipation, the dragon sitting across from me had a somewhat subtle expression.

Then before long, a crooked smile appeared.

‘Why is he acting like that again?’

But right now, the immature uncle lizard obsessed with teasing his niece wasn’t important.

I stabbed at my salad with a fork and fell into thought for a moment.

“But would it be okay for me to go to that festival?”

“Wouldn’t it be proper procedure to get the Duke’s permission?”

The fake husband who told me to keep a low profile is holding me back again!

Although I had planned to live quietly as he wanted, it was true that I felt hesitant since I hadn’t left this place since arriving.

The Gana-da Maid Team would handle the guidance…

Actually, that was also a problem.

They were quite overprotective.

That’s why they ripped off the doorknob and came in just because I hesitated to answer for a moment!

‘At this rate, wouldn’t I end up trapped inside a circle of maids holding hands like in a traditional dance…’

For such an assumption to be realistic…

But maybe that would actually be better.

In any romance fantasy world, some kind of incident inevitably happens at festivals like this.

Of course, I don’t think I’m protagonist-level…

But what harm could there be in being careful?

Before I knew it, my mind was firmly set on ‘definitely going to the festival.’

“Shall I ask through the Butler?”

As my contemplation grew longer, Lia added with a worried tone.

But I’m also a duchess, after all.

I couldn’t unnecessarily trouble the maids with such tasks.

Besides, wasn’t this the level of matter that didn’t need to be asked about so obviously?

My cunning mind spinning in this direction, I laughed confidently.

“No. I have my own methods.”

* * *

A few days later, at the Duke’s Castle on the day of the spring welcoming festival.

“Hello, Tia.”

“Hello. Are you going to the festival today too?”

“Of course! I just finished everything and was about to change clothes and go.”

“Come with me! Want to meet at the side gate?”

“Sure.”

The maids with much brighter faces chattered happily as they moved the laundry baskets.

Was it because of the upcoming festival?

Even within the usually quiet Duke’s Castle, a subtle sense of anticipation was rising.

The time rushing from lunch toward evening.

Though it should have been a time when fatigue would settle on the servants’ faces, their faces overflowed with a vitality different from before.

It was because Celeste’s generous master had granted most of the servants an afternoon break just for today.

Since all but the essential personnel were planning to head to the festival, the atmosphere was heating up even more.

“…Ha.”

And the person who had granted everyone a holiday.

Duke Jenos Celeste was actually sitting in his study handling work.

Though he was the lord of the territory, today’s festival was really for the common people.

Since Jenos’s job was simply to create an environment where everyone could enjoy themselves safely and happily, he had arranged to deploy a few more knights to handle security in the square.

“The time is already….”

Beyond the large window of the office with curtains thrown wide open, the bright sunlight was already fading.

Soon it would be time for the blazing red sunset to embrace the world.

The spring welcoming festival, which usually starts at noon, continues until midnight.

After the sun completely set, the festival’s highlight—the lantern floating event—was scheduled to begin.

Though Jenos had never once floated a lantern himself….

From his office window, he had a perfect view of the colorful lanterns drifting down to the riverside.

Watching that quietly and alone each year was also one of his joys as a lord.

Since he had been working since before sunrise, just as he was about to take a brief rest.

“?”

Something entered Jenos’s field of vision as he was setting down his pen.

It was a small letter envelope stuck between the documents.

It was hidden in the crevice between the mountain of piled documents, as if hoping not to be discovered.

“…What’s this?”

Though Jenos had unknowingly fallen victim to ‘letter slipping,’ he actually didn’t think much of it at this point.

His puzzlement at the letter that wasn’t even sealed lasted only briefly.

“….”

Jenos’s face gradually became subtle as he opened the envelope without hesitation and skimmed through the contents.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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