You Said I Was a Persecuted, Terminally Ill Grand Duchess? - Chapter 17

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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 17

[To His Grace.

Hello, Your Grace.

This is the person living in the Forest Cabin.

I would like to go to the festival this evening.

Would it be alright if I went?

I’ll be with the maids, so safety won’t be an issue.

Even Your Grace wouldn’t be able to match their life muscles.

I’ve been training every morning as well.

Anyway… I’ll behave myself and just look around before coming back.

I could go secretly, but since you’re the one feeding and housing me, my conscience would bother me if I did that.

If there’s no particular response, I’ll take it as permission.

Thank you!]

“Hah.”

The sender of the letter was obvious without even looking.

Even the round handwriting perfectly resembled her.

At the Grand Duchess who had cunningly sent what was disguised as a request for permission but was actually a notification, Zenos let out a hollow laugh.

‘Is she being considerate, or is she being defiant?’

She probably didn’t even use the title “Grand Duchess” because she was worried about offending his mood.

In contrast, the content couldn’t have been more bold.

In fact, if Zenos hadn’t discovered this, it would have almost gone unnoticed.

‘Was that what she hoped for?’

She said her conscience would bother her if she went secretly. Yet the letter was buried deep between documents as if she hoped it wouldn’t be discovered.

Zenos’s brow furrowed at the contradictory attitude.

And soon, a crooked smile spread across his face.

“Cal.”

Zenos rose from his seat and called to Cal, who stood like a painting beside the desk.

Then he smoothly handed Rene’s letter to him.

The old butler, who had received and briefly skimmed the letter, answered with his eyes gleaming beneath his monocle as if he understood without being told.

“I’ll make preparations, Your Highness.”

* * *

“Are you sure this is alright?”

Betty’s eyebrows drooped downward.

But contrary to that expression, both her hands were extremely busy.

I suppressed my slightly incredulous feelings and said.

“For someone who’s worried, you’re braiding my hair very carefully, Betty.”

“Well, our lady’s hair is as fine as silk! How wonderfully it goes with the red ribbon!”

“You’re so beautiful!”

At Betty’s words, Nina and Dora simultaneously exclaimed and enthusiastically chimed in.

Thinking that their fawning was quite justified this time, I carefully examined the mirror placed before me.

“Hmm… I suppose it does.”

My silver-white hair was being beautifully braided into twin braids by Betty’s skilled hands.

Betty wove red ribbons throughout, creating a bridge-like effect, then finished by tying the ends securely with ribbons.

With that, plus the red dress that Garnet had quickly made, saying we must commemorate my lady’s first festival, I had become quite a cute sight even to my own eyes.

‘Quite…’

From the time of my possession, I had been quite pleased with this body’s face, but seeing it properly dressed up like this was truly satisfying.

‘Wow. I’m pretty.’

This kind of life really isn’t bad at all.

It was when my satisfaction with this life was rapidly skyrocketing.

“At times like this, I wish I were a painter. I want to capture my lady on canvas right now!”

“Should I grab a brush right now? We can’t be the only ones to see this beautiful scene!”

Lia and Marigona sobbed while shoving their fists into each other’s mouths.

If this were reality, they would have been running around with idol cameras.

I thought I had become immune to fawning after spending several days with the maids…

The maids always exceeded common sense.

“That’s why we’re going to the festival, girls…”

As someone who had once again become their idol, I composed my somewhat mixed feelings and rose from the stool.

It was because we had wasted quite a bit of time preparing along with their fawning.

What if we miss the Jamcon Festival that only happens once a year!

With my heart racing, I quickly moved and flung open the cottage’s front door.

Then I turned around and called the maids’ attendance like rapid fire.

“Anyway! Everyone’s ready, right? Let me see… Garnet, Nina, Dora, and Lia, Marigona…”

Thinking that somehow the maids’ complexions had turned strangely dark, I finished taking attendance and was turning around.

“…Betty’s here too. Now let’s hurry and go… Ahhh!”

Perhaps it was because my heart was too rushed.

In my eagerness to get to the festival quickly, as I spun around, I ended up bumping into something hard yet strangely warm.

“Ow, that hurts…”

I raised my head while holding my bumped forehead with my hand.

And before my eyes…

“Huh?”

There was someone’s broad and solid chest!

‘Wait! A chest?!’

If it’s a suspiciously large chest at this high position…

Startled, I quickly raised my head to look up, and there, as expected.

“Uhhhh!”

“What are you so surprised about?”

There stood a face that wasn’t welcome at all—the Grand Duke!

And he was all dressed up too!

I froze in place as if nailed to the spot.

The habit of being stunned when too surprised seemed to persist in this body as well.

As I just blinked my eyes, perhaps misunderstanding on his own, the Grand Duke raised one corner of his mouth wickedly.

‘He really does look mean-spirited.’

I’ll admit he’s handsome, but that smile right now looked like a villain to anyone!

I don’t know what this work is or who that Grand Duke is, but he’s probably either the main villain or the mastermind.

It seemed I had gotten involved with the wrong person, and cold sweat trickled down my back.

“I received your letter well. You placed it in a very visible location indeed.”

Damn! Nina clearly said she had hidden it well in a corner while cleaning the office!

Perhaps feeling wronged herself, Nina, who momentarily made eye contact with me, covered her mouth and shook her head.

I slightly nodded to reassure her.

‘Right. Nina couldn’t have done anything wrong. We just had bad luck.’

And looking at each of the maids’ pale faces one by one, I realized.

The only person who could step forward here was me alone.

Gulp. I involuntarily swallowed dry saliva.

I gestured to the maids and took a step forward as if to shield them, then stood straight facing the Grand Duke again.

And after lifting my skirt hem to greet him, I spoke with proper courtesy.

Praying that my current behavior matched the etiquette of this place.

“I couldn’t waste such an important person’s time. Please forgive my rudeness.”

‘You crazy bastard. What are you going to do if you don’t forgive me? You shouldn’t have been noticed in the first place!’

Of course, my inner thoughts were completely different from what I was saying.

As if he had read even these thoughts, the Grand Duke sneered with a mischievous face.

“Forgiveness? How amusing. Well? I’ll decide after seeing what happens today.”

“Pardon?”

Don’t tell me… His Grace is saying he’ll go to the festival too?

No way. That can’t be right.

I must have just misunderstood…!

I forced my trembling lips upward and smiled.

But I couldn’t stop the sound coming from my mouth from shaking.

“Ah, haha. Hahaha…”

Damn! I sound too much like a weak woman!

Somehow I felt humiliated, but my opponent was the Grand Duke.

And he was as big as a mountain – no exaggeration, he looked twice my size.

Had I grown too distant from the concept of survival of the fittest while living among the maids who pampered me?

Feeling the tremendous gap in our natural physiques, I asked awkwardly.

“When you say today…”

“I mean I’ll accompany you. Do I need to explain even this?”

But why would you?! This is seriously driving me crazy!

However, the Grand Duke who had dropped this bombshell was looking down at me with a leisurely attitude, arms crossed.

When I turned to look at the maids as if ready to jump, they too had turned pale as if hearing this for the first time.

Their plans must have been thoroughly ruined as well.

I could tell because they all looked dejected.

As I hesitantly stepped back and leaned against the maids, their warm presence stuck to my back one by one, giving me courage.

Just as I was about to feel a bit moved.

Quiet murmuring arose from behind.

“I really wanted to release lanterns next to Madam today…”

“Even if he’s her husband, he should wait in line…”

“We were here first…”

“The rolling stone displacing the embedded stone…”

They seemed aware that these weren’t things to say about their master, so they all trailed off and closed their mouths, so I couldn’t hear the rest…

“…”

Apparently to them, the Grand Duke had become like a shameless entertainment industry insider who had stolen away a guerrilla date with their favorite that fans had barely obtained after spending money, time, and effort.

Regardless of status, even these maids with solid muscles couldn’t seem to beat that one man.

I quickly accepted reality.

There was no choice.

At this point, I had no option but to use my secret weapon – the ‘pretending to be sick skill’!

‘Cough! I suddenly don’t feel well and think I should rest.’

“How dirty and petty. I’d rather just not go at all.”

“What?”

“Oh my. Did I say that out loud?”

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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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