You Said I Was a Persecuted, Terminally Ill Grand Duchess? - Chapter 31

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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 31

 

Slam- Bang!

 

Then the door opened with a loud noise.

 

“Lady Rene!”

 

And there was the noblewoman!

 

She was dressed up extravagantly as usual today too.

 

She must have rushed here in such a hurry, her golden hair swayed along with her panting breath.

 

It was quite a beautiful sight, but…

 

“Gasp!”

 

Was it because the terrifying momentum of her targeting my hair before was deeply embedded in my mind?

 

I felt a chilling sensation that made even my fine hairs stand on end.

 

“What’s the matter…?”

 

It’s coming. A bad premonition…

 

Damn it, this time there wasn’t even a duke to use as a human shield!

 

While I was smiling awkwardly and tensing up completely, contrary to her intense entrance, a gentle voice returned.

 

“Lady Rene, I heard you’ll be staying in the main residence from now on?”

 

“Mm-hmm. I guess so.”

 

“Congratulations! Indeed, this room seems to shine even brighter now that it has found its owner.”

 

The room was actually bright, and the chandelier was sparkling as it reflected the sunlight coming through the large window…

 

Forcing my eyes wide, I carefully asked the maid.

 

“Thank you… But what brings you here?”

 

Being with you is somewhat scary, you know…?

 

Could you just get to the point quickly and leave?

 

Did she read my unwelcoming feelings?

 

The woman approached with a slightly intimidated face and then thud, knelt down in front of me!

 

“Huh?”

 

I was just blinking in confusion at the sudden development.

 

Unexpected words burst from the mouth of the maid who had bowed her head deeply.

 

“I committed a great discourtesy last time. I came to apologize for that.”

 

Her thin voice evoked quite a bit of pity in the listener.

 

But I couldn’t feel relieved yet.

 

‘She must be talking about what happened in the library before, right? An apology now? What’s her scheme?’

 

I fell into confusion looking at the maid who was still kneeling pitifully in front of me.

 

Could a person’s attitude suddenly change so completely like flipping a pancake?

 

But… hearing what followed, I understood to some degree.

 

“Actually, I really thought Lady Rene was… committing something impious! I was the one who witnessed Lady Rene meeting with an unknown man!”

 

“What?”

 

“Reveal that man’s identity. Someone reported to me that he was your hidden lover…”

 

Suddenly, I remembered what the duke had said in the library before.

 

He said that maid was the one who reported that dragon as my hidden lover.

 

“It was the day I went to the cottage without notice because I wanted to surprise Lady Rene. I went there with good intentions, wanting to become a conversation partner for you, but… you matched so well with that handsome man that I ended up misunderstanding!”

 

Ugh! Stop that!

 

Please don’t weirdly link Ternox and me together!

 

“That’s really absurd…”

 

It was the moment I was about to urgently explain in shock.

 

The maid’s gaze, which had been directed at the ground the whole time, suddenly lifted toward me.

 

At the same time, our eyes met directly.

 

“!”

 

A beautiful face distorted messily.

 

‘Gasp! A beauty!’

 

And one that was so much my type!

 

All beauties are right, but she was especially a cat-like beauty that I loved too much.

 

Gracefully upturned eye corners and large eyes that seemed to occupy half her face.

 

The pupils within them sparkled and were as clear as well-crafted sapphires.

 

While I pressed down my deeply shaken heart, I couldn’t take my eyes off the maid’s face.

 

Her cherry-like lips opened again.

 

“Actually, my family, House Hugo, has been the closest to House Celeste since ancient times, and I too had been diligently assisting His Grace the Duke until Lady Rene came.”

 

The maid who said that somehow shyly averted her gaze and covered her mouth.

 

Oh… From the nuance, it seems there was something between them.

 

It appeared they were childhood friends who had grown up together since they were young.

 

“But this is all in the past now.”

 

The noblewoman’s eyes as she continued speaking looked quite sad.

 

As shadows fell on the gorgeous beauty’s face, a sense of pathos wafted from her.

 

It actually seemed like there was some moisture around her eyes.

 

“The real Duchess has come… and I became the Duchess’s maid. So please understand that I feel closer to His Grace the Duke than to Her Grace the Duchess.”

 

“Of course, of course. I understand…”

 

Trickle trickle, a stream of cold sweat ran down my spine.

 

It was because a bad premonition flashed through my mind as I listened to the story.

 

‘This is too much of a cliché.’

 

Childhood friends who bickered without realizing each other’s feelings.

 

Though they secretly hoped that situation would last forever.

 

Cruelly, a sudden arranged marriage came to one of them.

 

The two people who went astray while misunderstanding each other!

 

I knew this type of story quite well.

 

‘Don’t tell me…’

 

Was I actually the villain between the two of them?

 

Maybe I was in the position of the villainess who drives a wedge between them?!

 

‘If that’s the case…’

 

The duke who was giving the maid the cold shoulder in the library that day was actually… performing sad theater to forcibly push the noblewoman away completely?!

 

“…”

 

Right. Come to think of it, I could understand to some degree the duke’s efforts to appear as a loving couple with me in front of others.

 

Suddenly, tremendous guilt washed over me.

 

Unaware of my feelings, the beauty in front of me grabbed my hand with tears glistening in her eyes.

 

“But I, Katarina Hugo, have made a decision. To become Lady Rene’s closest friend!”

 

“With me…?”

 

Why did the conclusion turn out that way…

 

‘But her name was Katarina. Even her name is pretty.’

 

Regardless of my rather reluctant reaction, the noblewoman, ah no, Katarina passionately poured out her words.

 

“Hugo is originally a family that serves Celeste. Since Lady Rene has also become a true Celeste, it’s natural to discard past grudges and offer loyal devotion.”

 

Katarina’s expression as she said that looked truly resolute.

 

It seemed Katarina also firmly believed the rumors of sharing a bed(?) that had circulated within the duke’s castle.

 

At the same time, my heart, which had suddenly become a reader’s perspective, felt like it was being torn into a thousand, ten thousand pieces.

 

‘Ahhhhh! Goodness, Katarina! What on earth are you thinking!’

 

You’re misunderstanding that your beloved duke has become a real married couple with me?!

 

And yet you want to become friends with me?

 

Because it’s your duty?!

 

“You don’t need to go that far…”

 

I didn’t know what kind of misunderstanding the noblewoman was having, but the more she did this, the deeper my worries became.

 

I couldn’t even guess where things had gone wrong.

 

But…

 

“So… would you forgive my misdeeds up until now and accept me as a close friend?”

 

Katarina said while caressing my hand with her soft hands.

 

Drip.

 

At the same time, a single tear that had formed at the corner of her eye rolled down her jade-smooth cheek.

 

‘Ugh…’

 

An angel.

 

This woman is an angel!

 

Before I knew it, the fact that this angel was the same person who had tried to grab my hair became blurred.

 

‘Let’s just consider her an angel with a somewhat strong competitive spirit.’

 

Anyway, she radiated an irresistible aura that shone as brightly as her sparkling blonde hair.

 

I forced a smile and nodded my head.

 

“Of course, naturally. Katarina.”

 

At my answer, Katarina’s face immediately brightened.

 

It was a fresh sight, like blue roses blooming in full.

 

“Thank you so much, Lady Rene! How can you be so kind-hearted… I actually thought I might be stripped of my maid position. I did do things that would deserve even that…”

 

Gone was the terrifying momentum from when we met at the Library before, as Katarina pitifully covered her mouth.

 

At that sight, I hurriedly poured out words of comfort.

 

“That can’t happen! It stemmed from your feelings toward His Grace, right? The misunderstanding… was deep, though. Anyway, we can clear up the misunderstanding from now on! Nothing is ruined!”

 

Of course, I do love ruined love too!

 

They say among faith, hope, and love, the greatest is ‘ruined love’!

 

But since I was caught in the middle, it felt quite awkward to obediently take on the villainess role.

 

‘I need to remember something about this novel first. Even a small clue…’

 

It was just as I was absorbed in this new goal.

 

“Lady Rene, then… to commemorate becoming friends, would you accompany me tomorrow? There’s something I really want to show you.”

 

Clap! Katarina’s eyes as she smiled while clapping her hands had a somewhat sharp glint to them.

 

But even then, I thought it was just my imagination.

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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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